Father drowns rescuing 8-year-old son in Lake Perris

LAKE PERRIS, Calif. (KABC) -- A father drowned in Lake Perris after rescuing his son who had fallen off their boat Sunday.

Around 2:55 p.m., California State Park Peace Officers received reports of a man who had drowned at the Lake Perris State Recreation Area while rescuing his 8-year-old son.

Abel Cisneros-Brambila, 38, of Riverside, was operating a boat with his four kids in the middle of the lake when his young son fell off. His son wasn't wearing a life jacket, authorities said.

Cisneros-Brambila then jumped in to save his son, but he was not wearing a life jacket either. He was able to rescue his son but went missing under the water soon after.

State park officers responded to the scene and attempted to find and rescue Cisneros-Brambila. Riverside County Sheriff's Department dive teams were also dispatched to the scene to try and help, but the attempts were unsuccessful.

Since Sunday, authorities have attempted numerous dives but said conditions were unfavorable, especially because the location where Cisnernos-Brambila was last seen was vast, had a 65-foot depth and less than 1 foot of visibility.

The case was under investigation. Anyone with information was asked to call (951) 940-5600.