Oklahoma Disaster Task Force assists with search for missing 8-year-old
SHERMAN, Okla (KFOR) — It's now the third week of the search for an 8-year-old girl missing from Durant.
Clara Robinson was swept away by floodwaters on Christmas Eve, after her family's SUV crashed into a ditch in Sherman, Texas.
Clara's father, Will Robinson, died in the crash while trying to save her.
Four others were rescued, but Clara still hasn't been found.
It is now day 16 of the search and everyone has one mission in mind.
"That's to find Clara," said Lt. Sam Boyle with Sherman Police Department.
This past weekend, members of the southeast division of the Oklahoma Disaster Task Force deployed to Sherman with boat and dive teams, human remains detection dogs, sonar devices, and more.
"It's an evidence based search at this point, so you just want to make sure that every stone was unturned, everything's looked over. It wasn't a quick, hasty search," said Richard Ezell, director of emergency management, City of Durant.
The Oklahoma team with members from areas like Cole, Pittsburg, and Pontotoc counties covered about 15 miles down the creek, and while they didn't find Clara, the data left behind will continue to help with the search.
"Using some mapping software that was able to track every individual on the ground and track them in real time, log pictures if there was any evidence or items located that could be pertinent to the search and it would geo tag exactly where they were," said Ezell.
The focus now turns to using equipment to go through large piles of debris.
"They are not easily accessible from roadways or anything like that, so we're working on some engineering plans. This is going to be kind of a a longer process to get that done, may take several days," said Lt. Boyle.
In the meantime, crews will explore areas of the creek bank that may have caved in.
"We had two rainstorms in about just a few hours apart or a few days apart and that could have caused a cave in and that could be why we haven't been able to find her yet," said Lt. Boyle.
The weather is creating challenges for search efforts.
While temperatures are at or below freezing, dive teams cannot go into the water.
With the anticipated snow Thursday, Lt. Boyle says they have a contingency plan in place, but they're hoping the weather won't be as bad as it seems.
To donate to the Robinson family, click here.