Who Is Josie Gower? Mother Killed In Southern California Mudslide

As deadly mudslides ravaged southern California communities Tuesday, a Montecito, California man dug through the wreckage to make a tragic discovery. Hayden Gower investigated the debris surrounding his destroyed home hoping to find his mother Josie alive. Instead, he learned she had been swept away and killed, KSBY-6 reported.

Josie Gower, 69, was a Montecito resident who was at home when the mudslide hit the area. Her son told her to stay upstairs, but he told KSBY-6 she went to the ground level and was taken by the knee-deep current of mud. When he returned home Wednesday to search the area, her whereabouts were uncertain.

It was not until Wednesday night that her body was confirmed to be found by first responders.

Josie Gower was one of 17 people killed by the mudslides in southern California since Tuesday. Other victims included a Catholic school founder in Ventura and a prominent local realtor in Montecito, per ABC News.

Aside from the deep levels of mud that permeated the area as a result of the mudslide, it also carried large boulders into the area. The mudslide came as a result of heavy rain along hillsides in the area that had been bereft of trees and other plant life after the large Thomas fire burned through the area in late 2017, USA Today reported. 30 square miles were affected, leaving hundreds of buildings damaged and dozens injured along with the 17 reported deaths.