Theresa Pereira, 18, sales clerk, died attempting to save Florence, 11, and Joseph R. Dias, Jr., 10, from drowning, Potowomut, Rhode Island, July 19, 1953. While bathing in Narragansett Bay, Joseph, who could not swim, slipped from a sandbar into water over his depth 50 feet from shore and was submerged briefly. His sister Florence, who also could not swim, lunged from the sandbar and reached Joseph, who was flailing his arms. Miss Pereira, who had been wading on the sandbar 35 feet from shore, was attracted and plunged into the deeper water. As she neared Joseph and Florence, the latter sank and did not reappear. Miss Pereira swam to where Florence had disappeared and submerged herself. She remained beneath the surface approximately a half a minute and rose gasping for breath a foot from Joseph. She took hold of Joseph, towed him eight feet toward the sandbar, and then sank. Joseph was aided to the sandbar by a man and safely reached shore. Shortly afterward Miss Pereira came to the surface inert. She was taken to shore and was given artificial respiration but could not be revived. Florence was drowned. 42917-3909
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