Authorities recovered the body of an 11-year-old boy from Richmond after a nearly two-day search in the Gulf of Mexico near Surfside Beach, with an officer swimming offshore to retrieve him.
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Authorities say the body of an 11-year-old kid who had been missing in the Gulf of Mexico has been recovered after an exhaustive multi-agency search.
Richmond’s Joshua Lahai was found Tuesday afternoon in the 300 block of Beach Drive, Surfside Police Chief Philip Hester said. A fisherman found the child’s body approximately 100 yards offshore, saying he felt something brush against his leg about 2 p.m. Officer Christopher Redmond, who had been patrolling the shoreline during the search, reacted instantly. Redmond swam out about 150 yards into the Gulf to find Lahai's body, then swam back to land.
“I treated it as if it were my own child,” said Redmond. I have kids, so I didn't hesitate when I saw that.
Some tricky conditions," said Redmond. When I carried the youngster back to shore, the water was up to my chest and neck.
Lahai was reported missing Sunday evening after he went into the sea at 5:30 p.m. while visiting Surfside Beach with his young football team, authorities said. His body was located around half a mile west of where he was last seen, close to where his shorts were found the day before.
The search involved more than two dozen workers from several organizations, including local police, Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and EquuSearch.
During the search, Hester said the boy’s father remained at Surfside Beach and was kept updated as teams continued their attempts.
“I didn’t want him to hear it secondhand,” Hester added.
Officials stated they had vowed to the family they would find the child.
We promised the father we were going to find him,” Hester explained. “That’s exactly what we did.”
Officials also took the opportunity to warn of dangerous circumstances in the Gulf, saying strong currents, startling drop-offs, and uneven terrain can be quite dangerous.
“This isn’t a swimming pool. "This is the Gulf of Mexico and it’s unforgiving,” Hester remarked. “Watch your kids and know your limits.”
Officials warned beachgoers to watch youngsters closely, wear life vests, and exercise caution in open water.
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