Siblings Aged 12 and 6 Drown While Swimming in Texas River: Police

The bodies of two children aged 12 and 6 have been recovered from a Texas river after they got into difficulty in the water, according to police.

Harris County officers were alerted to reports that a 6-year-old boy and 12-year-old girl went under the water in the San Jacinto River near the Xtreme Off Road Park and Beach at about 9 p.m. on Saturday.

When officers arrived, they learned that both children had been swimming in the water and never came back up, according to ABC13.

The outlet reported that authorities had told a father had been playing with three children close to the water when he reportedly lost sight of the two.

Harris County Sheriff's Office marine unit divers later deployed a robot with sonar capabilities that found the bodies at about 12:30 a.m. on Sunday.

The recovered bodies matched the description of the two children who went under the water, ABC13 reported.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez later confirmed the deaths in a tweet: "Update: Our team was able to recover both bodies. Recovery happened just past midnight. It's a tragic story."

HCSO Major Jesse Razo told ABC13: "The family is here and very distraught. We do have a chaplain here that is with the family to help them through this most difficult time. Our condolences go out to the family."

Police have not shared the identities of the two children and there has been no comment regarding whether any arrests have been made. Newsweek has contacted the HCSO for comment via email.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for children aged between 5 and 14, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death after motor vehicle crashes.

In comparison, children aged between 1 and 4 have the highest drowning rates in the U.S. and most drownings for children in this age group happen in swimming pools.

The CDC notes that every year in the U.S. there are an estimated 4,000 fatal unintentional drownings—an average of 11 drowning deaths per day.

It states: "Nearly 80 percent of people who die from drowning are male. Many factors might contribute to higher rates of drowning among males, including increased exposure to water, risk-taking behaviors, and alcohol use."

According to the CDC, there are several things that people can do to help prevent drownings, which include:

• Learning the basics of swimming and water safety
• Build fences that fully enclose pools.
• Supervise people who are swimming closely, especially children.
• Wear a life jacket.
• Learn CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
• Know the risks of natural waters.
• Avoid drinking alcohol.
• Consider the effect of medications.
• Don't hyperventilate before swimming underwater or hold your breath for a long time.