Woman ‘Pulled Paddle Away as her husband-to-be drowned’ while kayaking on the Hudson

27 May, 2015 by Jennifer Van Laar

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What this woman did is unthinkable. How can you look at another human being and callously withhold lifesaving help, watching them die? That is exactly what Angelika Graswald did, according to New York prosecutors.

Prosecutors allege that the 35-year-old pulled the stopper on Vincent Viafore’s kayak, causing him to capsize on April 19, 50 miles north of New York City.

Then, when he reached desperately for her paddle, fighting to keep his head above the frigid water, she pulled it away and rowed away, leaving him to die, authorities say.

Investigators allege she waited 20 minutes then capsized her own kayak and called for help, according to witnesses to saw her at the time.

On Saturday, a corpse was found floating in the water near the Cornwall Yacht Club, around a mile south from where Viafore reportedly capsized.
Police confirmed on Sunday that the body has been identified as Viafore.

Speaking to CBS New York, forensic scientist Michael Archer said that the body was found floating face-down by a ‘recreational boater’, and later pulled out of the water and onto the docks by emergency crews.

Footage captured by the news station shows police boats on the river.

Viafore was not wearing a life jacket when he capsized in the river, around 50 miles north of New York City, last month.

Graswald, who hails from Latvia and was kayaking with Viafore at the time, was arrested days later. She initially told police she had tried to save Viafore after his kayak capsized in the choppy water.

Today, prosecutors charged her with murder. And if true, she will have to be haunted by the sight of his drowning for the rest of her life.