Two children dead, one missing in Arizona after RV is swept into flooded creek

[trailertraveler]

Link to news article

[Kirk W]

Quote

Barricades were setup across the road and there were multiple signs that warned drivers to not cross the flooded roadway.

If you read the story that RV was a home built that was driven into the water intentionally by the parents of the 7 children.

Edited December 1, 2019 by Kirk W

[Dutch_12078]

The article called it a "military-type" vehicle. That could describe several pretty stout commercial RV's. Obviously not stout enough for this situation though...

[Barbaraok]

There were warnings out all day BEFORE the storm hit the we were in for a lot of flash floods and to stay off the roads if at all possible!  3 tornados touched down in the Phoenix area, it was a BAD storm.  The adults need to be arrested for child neglect!

[justRich]

Sad. . .and a tragedy for sure - yet not uncommon in Arizona - the state with the "Stupid Motorist Law".

[Ray,IN]

1 hour ago, Barbaraok said:

There were warnings out all day BEFORE the storm hit the we were in for a lot of flash floods and to stay off the roads if at all possible!  3 tornados touched down in the Phoenix area, it was a BAD storm.  The adults need to be arrested for child neglect!

I'll second that! The widespread warnings to never drive into flooded roads, likely makes the driver into a criminal, as deaths occured. "The woman  made it to the other shore"; leaves serious questions to be answered.https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tonto-basin-2-children-dead-after-being-swept-away-in-arizona-floodwaters-1-still-missing-2019-11-30/

Edited December 1, 2019 by Ray,IN

[2gypsies]

Here are some photos of the area.  https://www.azfamily.com/news/children-found-dead-child-missing-after-floodwaters-swept-away-vehicle/article_e0c8f5fe-1312-11ea-8c02-b35485ab75a0.html

[sandsys]

2 hours ago, Rich&Sylvia said:

Sad. . .and a tragedy for sure - yet not uncommon in Arizona - the state with the "Stupid Motorist Law".

We need one of those for winter storm warnings. We do have one for people who are reckless with fires that turn into wildfires. Do NOT throw your cigarette out of the car window in Minnesota. Or anywhere for that matter.

Linda Sand

 

[Lou Schneider]

The vehicle wasn't an RV, it was a military 4x4 flatbed with 9 people crammed into the cab.  Sad.

[Dutch_12078]

2 hours ago, Lou Schneider said:

The vehicle wasn't an RV, it was a military 4x4 flatbed with 9 people crammed into the cab.  Sad.

Yes, I saw that in a video after they pulled it out. I don't know where the "RV" reference came from unless there was a TC or something mounted on the flatbed that got dislodged in the flood.

[chirakawa]

There are different definitions for "RV".  A "recreational vehicle" can be lot's of things to lot's of people.

[Pappy Yokum]

On 11/30/2019 at 4:33 PM, Kirk W said:

If you read the story that RV was a home built that was driven into the water intentionally by the parents of the 7 children.

Must wonder *why* this article was posted - as it was on local and national news for several days?

RIP to/for the deceased.  Now, (past) time to close!

~

 

Edited December 4, 2019 by Pappy Yokum

[sandsys]

10 hours ago, Pappy Yokum said:

Must wonder *why* this article was posted - as it was on local and national news for several days?

Since I don't watch local or national news (I get a daily email that skims the news for me) I would not have known about it if it had not been posted here. Which would have been OK but I thought I'd let Pappy know that not all of us are turned in to all the news so we appreciate a heads up from time to time on articles of interest.

Linda Sand

[2gypsies]

Not all of the children were theirs.  They were visiting friends and one or more were friends.

Here's the video of the flatbed truck being pulled from the water.

https://www.azfamily.com/video/drone-video-of-the-rawlings-truck-being-hauled-out-of/video_6cfec9ec-80d6-56f4-afd6-a951f8767e7f.html

There is now a push to put a bridge over that creek because people live on both sides and they need access for emergency exits and also getting children to and from school.

Edited December 4, 2019 by 2gypsies

[trailertraveler]

13 hours ago, Pappy Yokum said:

Must wonder *why* this article was posted - as it was on local and national news for several days?

RIP to/for the deceased.  Now, (past) time to close!

~

 

I posted it because I thought it may be of interest to members of this forum. I had no ulterior motive. I did not even express an opinion. Others have posted about RV's damaged in tornados, missing RVers, RVers murdered in Mexico, etc. The original article and several others said it was an RV. This is an RV forum.

This is the time of year that many RVers are headed to the Southwest. Many may not be familiar with the danger involved in crossing or even camping in washes. I guess I should know better than to post on this forum as there is always someone ready to shoot the messenger of any post that they do not like or agree with. If you don't like a post, why not just ignore it instead of criticizing the fact that it was posted. If the moderators (which I do not think you are) want to close the topic or delete it they can easily do that.

Edited December 4, 2019 by trailertraveler

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, trailertraveler said:

I posted it because I thought it may be of interest to members of this forum.

Based upon the responses here, it would seem that you were correct. While I do watch the TV news, like Linda I had not heard anything about this prior to your post. 😊

[Barbaraok]

I think that most people were surprised when they read the articles and saw that it really wasn't an RV, so wondered why it was posted in an RV forum.  I realize that some papers did say RV, but the pictures I saw and the description isn't one of an RV.  There are some videos of it being pulled out of the creek and if there was some type of structure on the back it disappeared without a trace.

We're in Mesa, AZ and it is in the newspaper everyday, the 3rd little girl still hasn't been found, though they have found one of her shoes and her pants.   After this many days and the conditions in the hills, it is unreasonable to expect the child is alive and they may not find the remains intact.   One question that does keep coming up is why the adults have not been charged with child endangerment for driving around the barricades.   Those that live in the area have been trying to get a bridge over that area because of flooding when it rains, but the $20 million price tag is too much for the county and there are too few people for it to built using federal grant funds.   The family is from Arizona, so the adults should have know what happens when you have big rain storms.

[sandsys]

5 hours ago, Barbaraok said:

There are some videos of it being pulled out of the creek and if there was some type of structure on the back it disappeared without a trace.

RV does not equal motor home. RV stands for Recreational Vehicle. There's more than one type of RV. Else why are all those bumper pull and 5th wheel people talking on an RV forum? Maybe that family has a pick-up type camper they mount on the flatbed? I once saw a goose neck trailer with a truck camper mounted on it. We have no idea why it was reported as being an RV. Maybe someone just thought that any vehicle carry that many people must have been an RV.

Linda Sand

[packnrat]

i got in trouble with a landlord cause i had a "jeep" parked on the side of the house for longer than a week. it was in the back side yard. it is still a "play toy" not a commute car. and i moved out when i was accused of parking a van on the street,  it had nothing to do with me.

but the "jeep" was called a rv not a truck or car. so had to be moved. as in into a rented parking lot. not on said property.

so yes rv can be anything to some out there.

[justRich]

I read somewhere that they had made that crossing during flash floods in the past.  
Perhaps the engine died at the wrong moment. . .

 

 

[jayco1]

It still reminds us that in the desert more people die from drowning than any other reason.

Edited December 5, 2019 by jayco1

[richfaa]

It was not on our local news and we never heard the story except here  on this forum...What is the big deal.