Texas authorities are widening the search for an 8-year-old girl who disappeared following a crash on Christmas Eve morning, now exploring other “targeted areas of interest.”
Officials in Sherman, Texas mentioned that an SUV carrying six individuals from Durant, Oklahoma got swept away by floodwater on Highway 75 and collided into a drainage ditch around 9:30 a.m.
Four days later, Sherman Chief of Police Jason Jeffcoat confirmed that the 8-year-old girl, Clara Robinson, is still missing.
Beloved high school coach and father Will Robinson and his family are pictured before their tragic wreck on Christmas Eve.
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“Search teams are continuing efforts to search Post Oak Creek, near the site where the initial rescue efforts took place,” Jeffcoat said. “There are also teams searching a 10-mile stretch of Post Oak Creek and Choctaw Creek.”
On Friday, the police department utilized K9 teams, dive teams, drone teams, and helicopters to keep searching for Robinson.
The teams consist of personnel from various organizations including Sherman Fire Department, Sherman Police Department, Sherman Fire Rescue, Grayson County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Task Force Two, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Grayson County Office of Emergency Management, Public Works, and Brady Baskin, a local rescue diver.
Texas Task Force Two divided their team for the search, concentrating on both the creeks and other “targeted areas of interest,” which were not specified.
Sherman officials asserted that they will persist in searching for Clara until she is located.
A photo of the overturned car was shared by KXII. (KXII)
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Will Robinson, a father of four – including Clara, lost his life during the crash while trying to save a 5-year-old girl who was unresponsive when rescuers arrived.
The girl was later reunited with her family, described by fire officials as “a great blessing in this tragedy.”
“The father [had] the little girl in his arms at one time during the event, and later they weren’t together, so it looked like he was trying to save her – definitely,” said Bart Bowman of Sherman Fire Rescue.
Police are crediting Will Robinson for saving a 5-year-old girl also involved in the crash. (The Owen Foundation)
“One of our guys was able to find the little girl underwater, pulled her out, and handed her off to one of our paramedics who was with him,” Bowman said. “That paramedic took her to the ambulance, and they performed CPR on the way to the hospital. … With a near drowning like that, it’s absolutely remarkable that she was released the next day with no issues. That’s a great blessing in this tragedy.”
Community members informed Fox 4 that Will Robinson was a girls’ basketball coach at Durant High School in Oklahoma.
“He would always bring C.J. [his daughter, Clara] to practice, and she would always play with us,” said Kinlee Hill.
The players mentioned that Robinson was an understanding coach who always maintained a positive atmosphere during practices.
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“He was so patient with us girls,” said player Emeri Morse. “I honestly don’t think I can recall a time he ever raised his voice at us in anger. … [He and C.J] were absolutely two peas in a pod. They were at practice, always together, and C.J. would just run up to him or ask for snacks.”
Fox Texas Digital, and Fox 4’s Dan Godwin and David Sentendrey contributed to this story.
