Milwaukee Northridge Lake mother, daughter deaths, family frustrated

MILWAUKEE - Family and friends gathered in memory of Khalilah Brister, 25, and her daughter, Tyrielle Jefferson, 7, found dead Thursday, Dec. 8 in a vehicle submerged in Milwaukee's Northridge Lake. 

The investigation started the day before they were found. On Wednesday, a woman dialed 911, saying she was going to drive her car into a lake with her daughter in it. A statement from the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office says deputies looked around Bradford Beach but didn't find the car. They also alerted other agencies along the lakefront.

The mother and daughter were eventually found dead in Northridge Lake. 

Clutching balloons and her loved ones just steps from the lake where her granddaughter was found Keonta Boose and her family came face-to-face with heartbreak Monday. 

"It's gonna take some time to get over this," said Charee Brown, Jefferson's cousin. "This is a major loss, a major shock to our family."

On Thursday, when someone noticed a car submerged in Northridge Lake, Milwaukee firefighters did what they could, but Brister and Jefferson were gone. Jefferson's family had been worried about Brister's mental health.

"Everybody want to save them both, not to end up here," said Donnell Boose, Tyrielle's great uncle. 

On Monday, friends and family gathered around a cross above Northridge Lake to say goodbye.

At the same time, the family is pressing law enforcement for answers.

A statement from the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management says their dispatch center received a 911 call Wednesday, the day before the car was found, from a woman who said she was planning to drive her car into a lake with her daughter inside.

In a statement Monday, the sheriff's office said deputies searched around Bradford Beach and didn't find them after dispatchers concluded she left the area.

The family said they're frustrated an Amber Alert wasn't issued since law enforcement knew a child was in danger.

Car pulled from Northridge Lake; Khaliah Brister and Tyrielle Jefferson

"We could've been involved beforehand so, you know, maybe next time, somebody's family ain't gotta go through this kinda stuff, man, and they can pay attention to when people say they need help," said Donnell Boose. 

The MCSO statement also said the sheriff's office has policies in place for alerts, missing person's responses and other situations when it's the lead agency on the investigation, but this remains a Milwaukee police investigation.

Statement from Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office

"On Wednesday there was an initial call transfer from MPD to the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management (OEM dispatch) based on the belief that the mother and daughter’s location was in the area of the Bradford Beach. OEM Initially dispatched MCSO squads based on that location. 

Pursuant to witness information relayed to OEM and prior to our arrival at the dispatched location of Bradford Beach, OEM stated to the responding deputies that the subject(s) had left the area. OEM also stated that they were letting other jurisdiction(s) know, and getting the police involved. This information relayed to the deputies was interpreted as the assignment being cancelled because it was transferred over to another jurisdiction(s). In spite of that conclusion, a deputy checked the area anyway and was unable to locate the vehicle and subjects. Transferring MCSO calls to other jurisdictions prior to our arrival, depending on the situation, is a common occurrence. 

The MCSO does have policies on Public Alerts, Missing Person response, etc., which are implemented when it is established that we are the primary investigating agency. 

On the following day (Thursday), when MCSO was contacted, we began to investigate. The MCSO Criminal Investigations Division initiated procedural steps related to a critical missing persons investigation. During the course of those steps being taken, we were notified that the vehicle was located by MPD. 

MPD remains the investigating agency for the deaths. 

Sheriff Ball states: "No matter how you look at it, the loss of this mother and daughter is tragic. Our heart goes out to the family and loved ones. Further discussions are being had regarding assignments involving multi-jurisdictional calls for service. The Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) are two separate and independent entities that have a longstanding, trusted, and critical working relationship."

Statement from Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management

"On behalf of the County Executive our hearts go out to the families and friends of the victims of the tragedy that occurred late last week when two bodies were recovered from Lake Northridge.

On December 7, at 4:34 PM, the Office of Emergency Management’s 911 Communications Division (OEM) received a call transfer from the City of Milwaukee regarding a Welfare Check at the lakefront near Lincoln Memorial Drive. A Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) unit was dispatched at 4:39 PM to the lakefront to check for a subject threatening to drive into the lake. Additional squads voluntarily responded to the area to assist.

After receiving more information from the witness, the 911 dispatcher relayed the information to all responding units, including the information that the vehicle had left the area and might be traveling towards Brown Deer. The Brown Deer Police Department was also notified that the individual may be entering their jurisdiction.

Once a disposition is provided, it is standard best practice for dispatch to advise additional, voluntary squads that they can return to or remain in service. This does not serve as a cancellation of the call in its entirety. Responding law enforcement personnel dictate all investigative actions and follow-up regarding a call for service. OEM’s 911 Communications Division dispatchers at the call center cannot, and do not, supersede the judgement of the investigating deputy on the scene.

OEM is currently working to fulfil all records requests concerning response to the emergency call made late last week. 

The Office of the County Executive and OEM have no plans to issue further comment on the matter at this time as to not disrupt the Milwaukee Police Department’s ongoing investigation into the deaths."