GALVESTON, Texas – A 27-year-old Houston father is dead after saving his 5-year-old son from drowning at San Luis Pass.
According to family members, Rufino Suarez, his son and five other people, were in a kayak around 7 p.m. Tuesday. Two of the three children were not wearing life jackets, the family said.
The family told investigators that the kayak tipped over and everyone except Suarez and his son swam to shore.
Several minutes later, the child washed ashore. He was unresponsive. Someone at the scene cleared the child's airway and got him to breathe.
About 10 to 20 minutes after the boy was found, his father’s body floated up on a sand bar, officials said.
The boy was flown to UTMB hospital. He was listed in critical condition.
Investigators said the area where Suarez drowned is a no-swimming area.
"It doesn't look like it had anything to do with rip currents or waves. On the back side of the island you wouldn't have had that," Galveston Island Beach Patrol Chief Peter Davis said. "You do have a bit of tidal flow in that area, so it may have been in an area that was shallow and may have had a deep spot, which would not be unusual out there, but we haven't been able to confirm that."
Davis encouraged everyone, especially children, to wear a life vest.
"Any time you're in water, especially open water, you want to wear a life jacket," Davis said.
The investigation into the incident in ongoing.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the family.
