'She was an angel': Family gathers in memory of mother, 7-year-old found dead at Northridge Lake

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A heartbroken family came together Monday to say goodbye to a mother and her 7-year-old daughter, discovered dead in a north side lake last week. 

The turnout was great on this cold, December day. They gathered at the scene, supporting each other as they grieve an incredible loss.

"You never want to bury your kids or your grandkids. But we gonna do the best that we can do to make sure that both of them is put away together, like they left us," said Tyrielle's grandmother.

There were no harsh words, only sadness at the Northridge Lake vigil, where two families are coming to grips with losing their 7-year-old beauty, Tyrielle Jefferson.

"I know my nephew is struggling. This is devastating, you know, as a father, you running around that night, trying to rescue your child," said Donnell Boose, Tyrielle's uncle. 

Jefferson and her mother, Khalilah Brister, were found dead in their car at the lake a day after police received a 911 call claiming Brister was suicidal. 

"Ain't no one could've really done, because if it was able to be done, then God would've allowed it to be done," said Boose.

Milwaukee police searched but did not locate the pair Wednesday.

"And you know, my sister and they were all in cars trying to rescue her, and then the phone calls stopped and then you find this," said Boose.

Four days later, Tyrielle's father and other mourners released dozens of helium-filled stars, watching them soar high above Northridge Lake.

"Oh, she was awesome. She was an angel," said Chare Brown, Tyrielle's cousin.

Balloons, candles and a cross, now serving as a visual reminder at the scene at Brown Deer and 76th.

"Like she was very smart. She's gonna be missed, and the cutest face, like she was so cute to me though," said Brown.

Questions remain about why an Amber Alert wasn't issued. The sheriff's office says the initial call was "transferred over to another jurisdiction(s)."

They said the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office does have policies on public alerts, which are implemented when it is established that they are the primary investigating agency.

"Maybe they can fix that system, where soon as somebody goes missing like that, they can right away get the description of the cars and if we can prevent this from happening to somebody else," said Boose.

As the families of both struggle with the emotional costs, a GoFundMe page was created to help with burial costs. You can find it by clicking here.