SURFSIDE BEACH, Texas – An 11-year-old boy who went missing in the waters off Surfside Beach over Memorial Day weekend has been found dead, according to Texas EquuSearch founder Tim Miller.
Officials confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Joshua Lahai’s body was recovered around 1:30 p.m. near the intersection of Oyster Street and Beach Drive along the Surfside coastline.
Lahai went missing Sunday around 5 p.m. while swimming at Surfside Beach with a friend during a trip with his youth football team and family members.
According to authorities, the boys were in the water when Joshua went under and never resurfaced.
On Tuesday afternoon, search crews received word that a body had been located near the 300 block of Beach Drive.
KPRC 2 was alongside Texas EquuSearch founder Tim Miller when the call came in.
Multiple law enforcement agencies quickly responded to the area, blocking it off with yellow caution tape as recovery efforts began.
Surfside police told reporters that a fisherman in the water first discovered Joshua’s body after feeling something brush against him in the surf.
Unsure what he had encountered, the fisherman alerted a nearby officer, who immediately jumped into the water to retrieve the child.
“I disconnected my holster, took off my shoes, took my cell phone out of my pocket, put all that in my truck, and then jumped in the water,” the officer said.
“He jumped down on the rocks, and he jumped in the water. When I made contact with the body, he was floating. From there, I just grabbed him and brought him back in. It was a challenge, but I didn’t think at all. My job was to get the body in, bring closure to the family.”
Authorities said Joshua’s family has since been notified.
The recovery marked the end of an extensive search operation involving Texas EquuSearch, Surfside Police Department, Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Coast Guard.
“We’ve been here all night. Nobody’s gotten any sleep,” Miller told KPRC 2 earlier during the search effort. “We’re doing what we’re doing.”
Crews had spent days searching by helicopter, drone, boat, and on foot along the shoreline after Joshua vanished in the Gulf waters Sunday evening.
Officials previously confirmed the child had been visiting Surfside Beach from Richmond, Texas, with his football team, friends, and relatives over the holiday weekend.
The incident remains under investigation.