12-year-old girl saved after sandbar collapses on her at Houston-area creek

A 12-year-old girl playing at a creek in Texas on Thanksgiving became trapped in a hole when a sandbar collapsed, but she was rescued without injury.

The girl was alongside Panther Creek in The Woodlands, Texas, about 30 miles north of Houston, for a family outing and was digging a hole in the sand when it collapsed on top of her, The Woodlands Fire Department said. 

The girl was initially submerged beneath the sand, but her father was able to clear enough sand to free her face, allowing her to breathe. When first responders arrived, only the girl’s face and head were visible.

Eventually, the crews from The Woodlands Fire Department and other agencies were able to fully extricate the girl from the sand. Medics looked her over, and her parents declined to have her taken to the hospital, The Woodlands fire officials said.

Officials did not name the girl’s father or provide any other identifying details.