×

Girl swept away, search is on

TONTO BASIN, Ariz. (AP) — Nine members of an Arizona family, together for the Thanksgiving holiday, were in an oversized military-style truck when they got stuck in a raging creek swollen by intense runoff from a powerful storm.

Four children and two adults got out and were rescued by helicopter, but three children stayed in the truck and it was later swept away.

Rescuers with helicopters, drones, boats, dogs and an army of volunteers searched frantically Sunday for a 6-year-old girl missing since Friday. Her brother and cousin, both 5, were found dead on Saturday.

“We want to bring her home safely to her family,” said Lt. Virgil Dodd of the Gila County Sheriff’s Office. “She needs to come home today, and we’re going to do that today.”

At dusk Sunday, rescuers said they found a shoe that might belong to the girl. The shoe was about 200 yards from where the family’s vehicle got stuck in the creek.

“There was a shoe in the area where there was some interest in that debris,” Lt. Virgil Dodd of Gila County Sheriff’s Office told the Arizona Republic. “At this time, we believe that it may belong to the little girl that we’re searching for.”

More than 100 volunteers gathered near Tonto Basin, a small community northeast of Phoenix, early Sunday to help search for the missing girl, Willa Rawlings, the Republic reported.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today