Pine Grove, CA…On January 21, 2013 at approximately 1500 hours the Amador County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a loose Llama on Spring Canyon Lane in Pine Grove. An Amador County Sheriff’s Deputy and an Amador County Animal Control Officer were able to secure the Llama. No residents were located at the home at that time.

On January 22, 2013 at approximately 1243 hours, an Amador County Sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to conduct a welfare check of the residents on Spring Canyon Lane, Pine Grove as they had not been seen by neighbors all day. Upon arrival, the deputy did not observe anything suspicious at the residence.

Later that evening a neighbor called to report that the residents had not been seen and the animals had not been tended. The neighbor said he checked the property and found a large hole in the iced over pond north of the residence.

On January 23, 2013 Amador County Sheriff’s Detectives conducted an investigation into the possible disappearance of the residents on Spring Canyon Lane. Based upon the investigation, and the indicators located at the residence, an area search of the property was conducted, including a search of the pond utilizing a canine. The missing subjects were not located at that time, however, the canine did indicate interest in the pond.

On the morning of January 24, 2013 Amador County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue assisted by canine teams from Wilderness Finders Search Dogs and California Rescue Dog Association searched the surrounding areas and the shoreline around the pond. These canines also indicated interest in the pond area. An aerial search was conducted by CHP aircraft. Simultaneously, a dive team trained in ice covered water recoveries from El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office began an underwater search of the pond.

The divers subsequently located a rope, which neighbors indicated was used as a lead for the Llama. Immediately thereafter, in the same area, the bodies of 5 year old Amelia Noelle Arago and her mother, 46 year old Karen Diane Anderson, were located and recovered. The decedents were located approximately 30 feet from shore. The water was 8 feet deep and the water temperature was 38 degrees.

The decedents displayed no obvious evidence of trauma or foul play. The Amador County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office will conduct a forensic pathologist examination of the decedents to determine the cause and manner of death.