A heartbreaking search came to an end on Tuesday after crews recovered the body of 10-year-old Devah Woods, who was swept away by floodwaters in Brenham, Texas, during this week’s severe storms across the state.
Officials say Woods was last seen near Brenham’s Fireman’s Park on Monday afternoon as flash flooding surged throughout the area. Witnesses, including a nearby police officer, tried to reach her, but the fast-moving flood waters were too powerful. The officer himself was also swept away and was later rescued downstream. EMS treated him on the scene, and he is recovering, according to a Facebook post from the Brenham Fire Department.
The City of Brenham was hit pretty hard by the intense rains on Monday as storms moved through the region, triggering fast and widespread flooding that many residents didn’t anticipate. Rescue teams from more than 16 agencies, including drone operators, dive teams, and search dogs – worked through the night. However, search operations were temporarily stopped around 10 p.m. due to another wave of incoming storms.
Brenham Fire Chief Mark Donovan confirmed the tragic outcome during a news conference Tuesday morning. Fighting back tears and standing beside Devah’s mother, he announced that dive teams had located and recovered the child’s body earlier that morning.
“We have taken care of her as much as we could; our hearts go out to Woods’ family,” said Lieutenant Steven Eilert of the Brenham Police Department.
An investigation into the circumstances of the incident is ongoing, however Brenham’s officials did not give any more details as of press time.
Woods was a student at Brenham Elementary School. The Brenham Independent School District said grief counselors were being made available to students and staff.
Brenham’s Fire Department has asked the community to “keep everyone involved in your thoughts and prayers.”
The same harsh weather responsible for Monday’s flash flooding was expected to continue through Tuesday night, with meteorologists warning of additional flooding from eastern Texas into parts of Louisiana and Mississippi. Some areas could allegedly see up to six inches of rain, according to a report from Weather.com, along with the potential for more severe storms and isolated tornadoes.