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Mom Sees Son Drown Himself In St. Pete Lake, Police Say

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By STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 9, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - A woman watched her adult son drown himself in a lake at a public park Tuesday afternoon, police say.

Lynn Cala and her son, Brett Cala, 34, were walking a dog along the lake behind the dog park at Walter Fuller Recreational Center, 7891 26th Ave. N., at 4:10 p.m., said St. Petersburg Police Department spokesman George Kajtsa.

Brett Cala suffered from depression and alcoholism, Kajtsa said.

During the walk, Brett Cala started heading toward the water with the dog at the end of a leash, Kajtsa said. He slipped and sat in the water, and his mother asked him whether he was OK and what he was doing, Kajtsa said.

Her son didn't answer. Instead, he got up and continued walking into the water, still holding the leash, Kajtsa said. His mother went in, got the dog and was yelling at her son, Kajtsa said.

Her son laughed and agreed to return, then swam toward the middle of the lake and dove toward the bottom, Kajtsa said.

Lynn saw the bottom of her son's shoes disappear, then a series of bubbles, Kajtsa said.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336 or spthompson@tampatrib.com.

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