‘No simple accident’: Family blames boat driver for woman’s death on Willamette River

PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) - A young woman’s family is sharing her story after she was taken too soon in an accident on the Willamette River over the weekend. Relatives say she was riding in an innertube while being pulled by a boat, and begged the driver of the boat to slow down.

“She was so innocent and taken so violently because of someone else’s decision to be reckless,” said Aliyah Seidel, who lost her 24-year-old sister, Kaileigh, on Saturday. “We definitely feel her not being here. It’s a hole in all of our hearts, it’s so quiet.”

Aliyah said she used to tease Kaileigh for being loud. Aliyah describes her as a great friend, sister, and dog mom who made everyone around her feel loved.

“I wish that I could be more like her. Everything that I wasn’t she was,” Aliyah said. “We were so similar but so different.”

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She said Saturday, Kaileigh went out on the river with a friend, and a few people she didn’t know as well.

“She was very spontaneous and she loved to have fun. She got invited out on a boat and she had no idea that that would be the last day of her life,” Aliyah said.

Her aunt, Rachelle Hunsperger, said water was familiar territory for Kaileigh, who had experience whitewater rafting. On the Willamette this weekend, she was on an innertube being pulled by the boat. That meant when things got dangerous, she had no control.

“There was some erratic and unsafe driving on the boat,” Rachelle said.

She was told by Kaileigh’s friend that the driver of the boat was whipping back and forth through the river and made one turn too fast. Kaileigh was thrown into the side of another boat, and she succumbed to her injuries in the hospital that same night.

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Rachelle said this happened as Kaileigh was pleading to stop.

“That just seems so unlike her. She was always like, let’s go, let’s have fun. If she was telling somebody to slow down then she was probably scared,” Rachelle said. “This was no simple accident. I feel that there is somebody definitely at fault and hopefully that comes out.”

The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident and no arrests have been made. They told FOX 12 they are still talking to witnesses and “once the facts are clear” they will determine if any criminal charges will be filed.

Right now, Rachelle and Aliyah are finding comfort in reading memories people are sharing on a GoFundMe for the family.

“She made impacts all over the place and it warms my heart. I have a serious hole in my heart but this feels like it helps,” Rachelle said.

“It’s just a great reminder to love the people that are in your life and just let them know how much you love them,” Aliyah said of the messages.

“You never know when someone’s going to make a careless decision or a mistake and they can be taken away from you forever,” Rachelle added. “Hold them close.”