Three children die in Lake Geneva boat capsizing during storm

Three people died and seven others were rescued after a boat capsized on Geneva Lake near Big Foot Beach State Park as severe storms swept through southeastern Wisconsin and struck the start of the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Authorities said the boat was carrying about 10 people when it overturned.

A source told CBS News Chicago that the three people who died were children. The deaths are under investigation by the Geneva Lake Law Enforcement Agency and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The boat appears to have overturned near Big Foot Beach State Park in Lake Geneva, where the search centered. The state park sits on the shores of Geneva Lake and includes a swimming beach, campground and picnic areas, a reminder of how busy the waterfront can be when holiday traffic pushes families onto the water.

The storm moved quickly through southeastern Wisconsin around midday Friday, hitting Lake Geneva, Williams Bay, Walworth, Elkhorn, Delavan and Darien. Local officials said the weather caused widespread damage across Walworth County, with downed trees, power lines and outages reported throughout the county.

Walworth County officials also requested help from surrounding counties and state agencies as crews worked through the damage. Reports from the region described blocked roads and damaged homes, showing how the same system that overturned the boat also left emergency responders stretched across land and water.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says it keeps fatality summaries and annual boating accident reports, part of a broader record on a state where boating, swimming and lake recreation draw millions of people each year. On a holiday weekend built around the water, the Geneva Lake tragedy showed how quickly a routine outing can turn deadly when severe weather arrives.