(LEX 18) — The family of the man found dead Wednesday in a Lexington pond is waiting for answers about what happened to him.
The coroner identified the man as 30-year-old Sammy Morales-Plasencia. He was the father of two young sons.
Hannah Houge, the mother of his youngest son, said Friday that she and his family are shocked by his death. Their son is six months old.
"I just want people to remember him as the wonderful, strong man that he is," Houge said. "And I know a lot of people know him because he's a great musician."
Houge said she met Morales-Plasencia in New York, where he was working as a musician, and she was working as a model.
She said Morales-Plasencia moved to Lexington several months ago to be with her but disappeared in December and wasn't in touch with their families in New York. Friends and family reported him missing, saying he was last seen near CHI Saint Joseph Hospital.
"He did not let us know where he was anymore," Houge said. "He lost contact completely … we couldn't figure out where he was at that point, it just happened out of nowhere."
The pond where Morales-Plasencia's body was found is near Saint Joseph East, off Richmond Road.
"We really don't have a lot of answers right now so it's definitely a really hard time," Houge said.
Houge said she and Morales-Plasencia's family are waiting to learn what happened to him.
"It's a very strange place for something to happen," Houge said. "It definitely doesn't sound like natural causes. I mean he's 30 years old, it's just very strange."
For now, Houge is waiting to hear more from the police and hoping anyone with information will contact Lexington police.
"I'm just waiting for that phone call, very eager to get that so I can figure out what happened," Houge said. "It helps a lot I think, if you know what happened to your loved one. I just have no idea."
