An Oklahoma basketball coach and father of four was found dead, and his 8-year-old daughter remains missing after the family’s car was swept away by raging floodwaters in Texas on Christmas Eve.
“We are still unsuccessful in our efforts to locate the 8-year-old girl,” Lieutenant Samuel Boyle of the Sherman Police Department told Fox News Digital.
“This is just devastating, and happening on Christmas Eve makes it unbearable,” Robinson’s cousin wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
The Sherman Police Department asked anyone with noteworthy information about the case to call their non-emergency phone number at 903-892-7290.
You never know how deep it is, and vehicles are not designed to do that,” Boyle told Fox News Digital in a message to all drivers in wet or flooding conditions.
After the family’s car was washed away by rushing floodwaters in Texas on Christmas Eve, an Oklahoma basketball coach and father of four was discovered dead and his 8-year-old daughter is still missing.
According to CBS News, Will Robinson, a high school coach from Durant, Oklahoma, and his family were traveling in their SUV on Tuesday morning when it veered off the road, became lodged in a drainage ditch in Sherman, Texas, and was swept away by powerful currents.
The Sherman Police Department reported that all six family members were trapped inside.
Four other family members were saved, but Robinson did not make it out alive.
The 8-year-old daughter of the family has not been located.
Lieutenant Samuel Boyle of the Sherman Police Department told Fox News Digital, “We are still not able to find the 8-year-old girl.”.
With the help of the multi-jurisdictional task force, we have targeted a 15-mile section of the creek downstream from the location where the collision occurred. “.”.
Boyle told Fox News Digital that Robinson and his family’s identities have not yet been verified by Sherman police.
On its third day, the search for the young girl has reportedly already scoured seven miles of creek, according to authorities, as Texas Gov. In order to help locate the child, Greg Abbott authorized state search and rescue teams.
In a statement released on Wednesday afternoon, the Sherman Police Department stated, “We are moving our focus into the county, targeting some possible locations where we have not looked yet.” The search will go on until dark today, after which it will resume before dawn. “.”.
Boyle told Fox News Digital that the accident on Tuesday was caused by “a combination of a heavy downpour and accumulating of groundwater.”.
The car became trapped in the drainage ditch’s flooding after it somehow veered off the road and into it. “”.
The lieutenant had previously told KXII News 12 that “it’s a tragedy, it really is.”.
Robinson’s cousin posted on Facebook on Wednesday, saying, “This is just devastating, and happening on Christmas Eve makes it unbearable.”.
Will was one of the good ones—a loving basketball coach, a loving husband and father, and an all-around wonderful person. Please remember and pray for the Robinson family as a whole. “”.
According to police, a number of state and local agencies, including Texas Task Force 2, are cooperating with the search.
“Included in the active search times are canines and boat or watercraft teams,” Boyle told Fox News Digital. “.”.
We are fortunate to serve a community that is eager to lend a hand in any way they can during times of crisis like these. As stated in their statement, Sherman police added, “We have dozens of first responders involved in this search, many of whom have extensive training in searching in hazardous conditions.” At this time, they do not require any more volunteers.
If anyone has important information about the case, they should call the Sherman Police Department’s non-emergency number, 903-892-7290.
Avoid attempting to drive through large amounts of standing water, in my opinion. In a statement to all drivers in wet or flood conditions, Boyle said, “You never know how deep it is, and vehicles are not designed to do that.”.
“Once you are unable to operate your vehicle, you are essentially helpless against the elements.”. And it can put the people inside the car in grave danger. “.”.
“Stop and find an alternate route if the large standing water that will cross the road prevents you from continuing down it.”. Dial the local police. Ask for recommendations when you call the local emergency services if you are unfamiliar with the area. “”.
