Second body found in Sabine Pass drowning

Published 1:41 pm Wednesday, July 8, 2015

SABINE PASS — A second drowning victim was confirmed Wednesday morning — a day after the body of the deceased man’s father was pulled out of Texas Bayou on an isolated road near the jetties.
Emergency responders searched the waters Wednesday morning, where they discovered the body of 34-year-old Carlos Thomas at about 9 a.m., Major Raymond Clark with the Port Arthur Police Department, said.
A day earlier, the first drowning victim, Floyd Thomas Jr., 61, of Beaumont was pulled from the same area that his son’s body was found a day later.
Clark said the son’s body was found on the bottom of the waters, making the search more difficult.
Thomas is not a resident of Southeast Texas, but was here visiting his father’s Beaumont home when the two decided to go fishing together Tuesday a the canal near the end of South First Street in Sabine Pass.
The Port Arthur Fire Department was initially called to the scene after another father and son who were kayak fishing reported seeing a body in the water.
Once there, the likelihood of a second victim was quickly determined, when, at the water’s edge, near an empty truck, police found an amount of cash, a driver’s license and other items believed to have been taken from the pocket of either the deceased, or his son.
Thomas’ body was found with his fishing rod still in his hand.
Clark said foul play is not indicated, but an autopsy has been ordered by Precinct 8 Justice of the Peace Tom Gillam.
E-mail: sherry.koonce@panews.com
Twitter: skooncePANews

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