At 2:01 p.m. on July 3, 2023, Travis County Sheriff’s Office Lake Patrol Deputies, along with the Pedernales Fire Department, Lake Travis Fire Rescue, STAR Flight and Austin-Travis County EMS, responded to a 911 report that an 8-year-old boy had gone underwater and never resurfaced. The child was reportedly last seen in the Cow Creek Cove area after falling off a boat without a life jacket.

Rescue efforts switched to recovery after 2:54 p.m. Monday. TCSO conducted shoreline and surface searches and utilized sonar and a remotely operated underwater camera system as part of their search efforts. The TCSO Dive Team was deployed, but efforts were unsuccessful, and the search ended that evening. Search efforts resumed Tuesday morning just after daylight and continued throughout the day. A body matching the boy’s description was located and recovered at approximately 4:50 p.m.

Out of respect for the family involved, and because this is not being investigated as a criminal incident, TCSO will not disclose the identity of the decedent via press release. 

TCSO reminds patrons of Lake Travis that the best way to ensure your safety on the lake, or any other body of water, is to wear a life jacket. In the event of an emergency on the water, follow these steps: