MATAGORDA COUNTY, Texas — Early Saturday morning, a potentially dangerous situation unfolded in East Matagorda Bay when a family was fishing on the shore, and their boat’s anchor lost hold. The boat drifted away with a child still aboard.
According to the Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred near the old Brown Cedar Cut, a popular fishing area along the bay’s shoreline. Around midnight, the sheriff’s office dispatch contacted the Matagorda County Pct. 6 Constable’s Office for assistance.
Constable Bill Orton responded quickly, meeting Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden Hannah Tant at Joey’s Bait Camp to initiate a search using the constable’s office’s boat. The search spanned several miles, starting from Mitchell’s Cut and extending westward before looping back into East Bay.
The drifting craft was eventually located along the inside bank of East Bay. The child was found safe on board and was transported to Charlie’s Bait Camp. There, personnel from the Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office and the Sargent Volunteer Fire Department conducted a precautionary check before reuniting the child with family members.
“This is a great example of your County assets at work for you and multiple agencies working together to serve your community in time of need,” Orton said in a Facebook post.