Baytown Police Department
·Today, at approximately 4:15 p.m., officers responded to a reported water rescue in the 7800 block of Brooks Crossing Drive after a child was reported missing in the Cedar Bayou River.
Preliminary information indicates that two siblings, an 11-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl, had been playing on a flotation device in the river when the girl became separated and was carried downstream by the current. The boy returned to shore and alerted his mother, who immediately contacted authorities.
Officers and emergency personnel quickly initiated a search of the area where the children were last seen in the water. During the search, officers located the 13-year-old approximately half a mile downstream.
With assistance from the Baytown Fire Department, a rescue boat was deployed and the teen was safely brought to shore. She was evaluated by medical personnel and reported to be in stable condition.
Authorities remind the public that fast-moving water can be extremely dangerous, even when it appears shallow or calm. Children should always be closely supervised around rivers, bayous, and other natural waterways, and flotation devices should never be relied upon in moving water. In an emergency, call 911 immediately and avoid entering the water without proper training or equipment.