MILWAUKEE — Family identified the 25-year-old Milwaukee woman and seven-year-old girl that was found dead inside their submerged car in Northridge Lake in Milwaukee on Thursday.
On Friday, the family confirmed the two to be Khalilah Brister and her daughter Tyrielle Jefferson. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office has since confirmed those identities as well.
Milwaukee police said a witness spotted a car submerged in the water off 70th and Brown Deer in Milwaukee around 1 p.m. on Thursday.
Crews with the Milwaukee Fire Department pulled the bodies out.
On Friday, the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office shared more information regarding the incident. They say on Wednesday the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) 911 Dispatch Center received a transfer call from the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) regarding a possible suicidal subject that was "threatening to drive her vehicle into 'the lake' with her daughter inside."
Deputy sheriffs were initially sent to the area around Bradford Beach. However, before arriving, the Sheriff's Office says they were contacted by OEM again and advised the call was canceled because "the subjects had left the scene." It was believed they were on their way to another jurisdiction.
Despite the call being canceled, the Sheriff's Office says one of the deputy sheriffs who was near the scene searched for the subjects and vehicle but was unable to locate them.
Around 9:40 a.m. on Thursday, the mother of the adult subject contacted the MCSO Criminal Investigations Division and said she was still concerned because she had not spoken to her daughter since 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The Sheriff's Office says additional measures to find the woman and vehicle were unsuccessful.
Shortly after 1 p.m. Thursday, MCSO was notified by OEM that MPD found the vehicle submerged in the water near 72nd and Brown Deer. Brister and Tyrielle were then recovered from the car.
Tyrielle was a first-grader at Hope Christian Academy in Milwaukee.
"She was honestly just the sweetest little girl," her aunt Naijae James said.
"Little girl just had so much joy, so much life," her great uncle Donnell Boose said. "Just every time you see her. So spunky and full of joy. It's a tough one. This is tough."
TMJ4 News reached out to Brister's family. A close friend shared the mother was battling a mental illness, but loved her daughter and was a good mom.
Tyrielle's father's side of the family says they are struggling with the news.
"My nephew is just, he's just destroyed," Boose said.
"We all just trying to keep him surrounded by love and family, not trying to let him be alone," James said.
"You could tell she (Brister) was dealing with something, but probably didn't know the best way to reach out to someone," Boose said.
Before Brister drove to Northridge Lake with her daughter, family members say Brister used a woman's phone near Milwaukee's lakefront. That woman expressed concern about the young mother and daughter.
"She called the police, she took pictures of the license plates," Boose said. "She gave her $20 and told her it was going to be okay because she was trying to get to Brown Deer."
Milwaukee police say this is still an active investigation.
Anyone with any additional information is asked to contact Milwaukee Police at (414) 935-7360 or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (414) 224-Tips or P3 Tips.
This story will be updated as we learn more.
