Two drownings occur less than half a mile from each other in a span of 24 hours, police say

SAN JACINTO, Texas (KTRK) — Two people drowned over the weekend at the San Jacinto River within 24 hours of each other while visiting the Magnolia Gardens, police said.

A 13-year-old boy went missing in the water after an outing with friends on Saturday and was found dead on the shore early Sunday morning at the 18000 block of Riverside.

At about 3:30 p.m., Sunday, just about a half mile from where the 13-year-old drowned, a 31-year-old man went under the water.

An Eyewitness News crew was on scene at the Magnolia Gardens, covering the previous drowning before capturing first responders on the boats trying to find the man.

“It only takes a second. You go under water, and it doesn’t take much water to drown so if you get pulled under and inhale that’s it, it can take your life from you,” said Lieutenant David Jasper of the HCSO Maritime Tactical Operations Center.

The search for the man lasted more than one hour, police say.

At 5:05 p.m., the man’s body was found, confirmed Lt. Jasper.

“When you’re in open water with a current, even if you do know how to swim, you never know, you get tired, you get a cramp, the current pulls you,” said Jasper.

“If you don’t know how to swim, if you don’t know how deep the water is, don’t get in.”

The Magnolia Gardens Park does not have lifeguards stationed.

There are signs throughout the park in English and Spanish that inform people of the lack of lifeguards and say, “Swim at your own risk.”