Braydin Barlow’s body was pulled from Cypress Creek on Thursday night after an hours-long search. His friends said he jumped into the water to catch a fish.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A Klein ISD student died Thursday night after reportedly jumping into a creek to catch a fish.
The district identified the Strack Intermediate sixth grader as 11-year-old Braydin Barlow. District officials said counselors would be available for students and staff members.
Braydin and some friends were playing near Cypress Creek along Cypresswood Drive near Kuykendahl Road when he jumped into the water to try to catch a fish with his bare hands, according to officials.
When Braydin didn’t resurface, his friends called for help.
An extensive search began at about 6:20 p.m.
Family members were distraught and didn’t want to talk about what happened on camera. They did say they were thankful for the outpouring of support they’ve received. They said Braydin was a happy boy.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office was called for help. They sent their dive team, which quickly mobilized.
Capt. David Jasper is the dive team supervisor. He said these kinds of searches are never easy, especially in murky waters.
“You have poor visibility, sometimes zero visibility. It’s always dark in the water. There is no difference between daylight or nighttime. You are going into a dark environment,” Jasper said.
Jasper said diver Javier Rojas found Braydin’s body within 45 minutes.
“Tough guy … heart of golf. I know it’s tough, but you know what, if I ask who is willing to go down a line … he says ‘put me in,'” Jasper said.
He said his team is one of the best in the state and they’re always willing to do what they can to help families find their loved ones.
“It’s not a story with a happy ending, but you can imagine if it’s your loved one. You have to find the body,” Jasper said.