GALVESTON, Texas – Authorities have found the body of a 12-year-old girl who disappeared Thursday while swimming with classmates during a school field trip to Galveston, according to KIPP Houston.
Samira Carlon was at the beach on a field trip with 19 classmates and two teachers from the Kipp Voyage Academy for girls in northeast Houston. She was in the water off the Galveston Seawall near 57th Street when she was last seen.
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KIPP Houston sent out an open letter on Saturday that read, in part: "I am deeply saddened to be writing you with this news. We have learned that our missing 6th grader from KIPP Voyage Academy has passed away. She went missing while swimming in Galveston during a field trip this week. Her body was found today.
"She was deeply beloved at KIPP Voyage, with a constant smile that lit up a room. She was positive, curious, and energetic in her approach to learning and a caring teammate. She was an exemplary student and showed passion for every one of her classes. An enthusiastic dancer, she was always eager to learn new styles of dance and loved making up her own choreography. She was bold and brave. To KIPP Voyage she was truly 'a light.'"
Samira was standing with four classmates and a teacher, who is also a lifeguard, about 30 yards from shore on a sandbar. When two of the students got scared, the teacher helped them swim closer in. When the teacher looked back, Samira was gone.
The Coast Guard and Galveston Beach Patrol searched for four hours Thursday afternoon and again all day Friday.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this difficult time," said Lt. Cmdr. Jonathan Andrechik, the command duty officer at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston. "We are deeply saddened by this outcome, and we appreciate the dedicated efforts of everyone involved in the search."