Holiday Tragedy: Oklahoma Dad Dead, 8-Year-Old Daughter Missing

A season of joy and celebration worldwide has turned into a heartbreaking tragedy for a family from Oklahoma.

A father of four has lost his life, and his 8-year-old daughter remains missing following a car accident early on Christmas Eve in Sherman, Texas, approximately 15 miles south of the Oklahoma-Texas border, according to USA Today.

The search for the young girl is still underway.

Will Robinson, 36, a high school basketball coach from Durant, Oklahoma, was traveling with his family when their vehicle hydroplaned and slid into a drainage ditch in Sherman, Texas, KOCO-TV reported.

The family was riding in an SUV at the time of the accident, according to Fox News.

Four family members were rescued, but Robinson drowned. Reports from KTVT-TV in Fort Worth, Texas, stated that Robinson was attempting to save his 8-year-old daughter, Clara, when the tragic incident occurred.

“Reports that we have are that the father did have the little girl in his arms at one time during the event and later they were seen they weren’t together, so it looked like he was trying to save her, definitely,” Bart Bowman, deputy chief of operations with Sherman Fire-Rescue, said during a Friday news conference alongside other law enforcement officials, as reported by the station.

Robinson’s body has been recovered, but Clara’s location remains unknown.

According to USA Today, the crash occurred around 9:30 a.m.

Weather conditions have complicated efforts to find Clara.

Sherman Police Lt. Dan Boyle told Fox News on Thursday that authorities were focusing their search on a 15-mile stretch where the creek could have carried her.

“We are still unsuccessful in our efforts to locate the 8-year-old girl,” he said, per Fox News.

“We have identified a 15-mile stretch of creek downstream from where the vehicle stopped, and we have targeted that with the multi-jurisdictional task force.”

Amid the sorrow, there was a glimmer of hope for the Robinson family. Clara’s 5-year-old sister, who was found unresponsive after being pulled from the creek, was revived by paramedics, according to KTVT.

“To be able to bring that child back to life is amazing,” Sherman Police Chief Jason Jeffcoat said during Friday’s news conference, KTVT reported.

“In a tragic time like this, it’s still a glimpse of hope that God’s good.”