GALVESTON, Texas – Heavy winds and rain didn't stop the search Friday for a 12-year-old girl who disappeared in the water off the Galveston Seawall.
It happened Thursday afternoon near 57th Street. Samira Carlon was on an end-of-year field trip with 19 classmates and two teachers from Kipp Voyage Academy for Girls in northeast Houston.
"I've seen her around just being who she is, a smiling happy child," said LaTosha Farley, whose daughter is one of Samira's classmates.Â
Samira, along with four other students and a teacher, were standing on a sandbar about 30 yards from shore. When two of the students got scared, the teacher, who is also a lifeguard, helped them swim closer in. When the teacher looked back, Samira was gone.
"The thing that is hard for people to wrap their head around is there is a big difference between swimming in a pool and swimming out here," Galveston Beach Patrol Chief Peter Davis said.
On Friday, the Coast Guard and Galveston Beach Patrol expanded their search from 2 to 8 miles along the Seawall. They're searching by air, ground and jet skis. Lifeguards were walking along the shoreline and looking out at the water with binoculars.
"Really what we're doing is looking for anywhere where a body could float or end up," said Davis. "And really a lot of people are out here this time of year, so we're probably gonna see a bystander. It would be just as likely as one of us to find it first."
He said they will continue searching until they find her. In the meantime, her family is being put up at a nearby hotel thanks to the nonprofit The Jesse Tree.
Grief counselors were on hand at Samira's school Friday to talk to students.
"God is in control here, so we're going to just leave it in his hands and hope that all is well, whatever the outcome it is," Farley said.
Annette Naulls kept watch Thursday night. Naulls is a Houstonian just visiting Galveston with no connection to Samira, but said she just couldn't leave.
"What parent wants to get that phone call that something happened to their child or grandchild," she said. "I'm a grandmother as well, so I'm here until hopefully her body is recovered."