Former Riverside County woman among three found dead in North Dakota pond
Desert Sun Wire Service

A former Paloma Valley High School and Riverside Community College student-athlete was among three young women found dead today in a vehicle at the bottom of a pond near the college they attended in North Dakota.

Afton Williamson, who, according to her Facebook page, graduated from Paloma Valley High in 2007, then played for the RCC Tigers until 2009, was a student at Dickinson State University, in Dickinson, N.D., where she and the other two women were on the softball team.

According to police, Williamson and the other two -- 22-year-old Kyrstin Gemar of San Diego and Ashley Neufeld, 21, of Brandon, Manitoba -- were found in a 1997 white Jeep Cherokee that had sunk to the bottom of a stock pond.

A search party at about 2:45 p.m. found tracks leading to the pond, with oil residue floating on its surface. Police sent in divers, who pulled up the vehicle about 4:30 p.m.

The women were reportedly on a stargazing trip, something they did often, according to published reports.

Around 11:20 p.m. Sunday, the group called a friend for help, according to Dickinson police. The caller was difficult to understand during the 40-second call, but the friend told authorities of hearing the woman say they were near a lake and water.

A search began at that time and a missing persons report was filed.

``At this time, foul play is not suspected,'' states a press statement released by Dickinson police.

Williamson's family lives in Southwest Riverside County.

Before news of the deaths broke, a former classmate from Paloma High, Brooke Fisher, told KCAL news: ``I hope she is safe.''

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