CROSBY, Texas — A Father's Day outing to the San Jacinto River ended tragically Sunday when a man and his 14-year-old daughter drowned near the Xtreme Off Road Beach.
A body believed to be the missing girl was recovered late Sunday, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. Her 38-year-old dad's body was recovered Monday morning in about 15 feet of water.
The sheriff said deputies responded to a call around 7 p.m. on Gulf Pump Road in the Crosby area.
“She got into trouble. She didn’t know how to swim. There’s a drop-off and Dad went in. And I heard one report where one guy actually went out there to rescue them but was unsuccessful,” Lt. David Jasper with the HCSO Marine & Dive Unit told KHOU 11.
Lt. Jasper says parts of the San Jacinto River near the park can be misleading because you can't see the bottom and it's very deep in some areas near the park.
“If you walk about 20 feet out, it drops dramatically and gets to about 24 feet deep,” Lt. Jasper said. “This is a tragedy ... it was Father's Day yesterday, they’re out having a good time, but of course, if you don’t know how to swim, wear a life jacket, learn how to swim."
Jasper estimated six drownings were reported at the park last year. He says the HCSO dive team was deployed more than 30 times in 2023.
The 2023 cases included a 6-year-old boy and 12-year-old girl who drowned in the same area last July. Last June, German Reynaga, 28, drowned while rescuing a woman he heard calling for help.
According to signs, there aren't any lifeguards on duty near the park.
The sheriff's office dive team and several other agencies were helping with the search.
