UPDATE: FROM COTTONWOOD POLICE – Out of respect for the family we have been withholding the girl’s identity but we are now able to share with the public that the 16 year old that was swept away in a wash in Cottonwood last night is Faith Moore. Faith and her family have strong ties to the community. She is the granddaughter of the recently retired Fire Chief from the Verde Valley Fire District and Retired EMS Chief from Verde Valley Ambulance. She is also the niece of an active Cottonwood Firefighter. The search for Faith is continuing with K9 units and with search watercrafts. An incoming storm has hit the Verde Valley making the search more difficult, but fire and law enforcement will carry on their work keeping the safety of first responders foremost. Volunteers are being moved out of the area to avoid injury in the event of another flashflood.
Cottonwood Police Department officials say some items belonging to the 16-year-old girl who was swept away in floodwaters on Saturday night have been recovered. The teen became stranded in rising waters while driving near Cottonwood at approximately 9:30 p.m.
According to the Cottonwood Police Department, the teen was swept out of her vehicle in a low water crossing after she called 911 asking for help because her car was stranded in knee high water.
Initial crews were able to make visual contact with the victim, but during the rescue attempt she was swept out of her car. Though the water was only up to her knees at the time she called for help, the water quickly rose to over 8 feet within an hour.
The Cottonwood Police and Fire departments as well as the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) contributed resources to the search.
Air support was not possible because of the active storm until hours later when a DPS helicopter conducted air search.
On Saturday night, the Verde Fire Department was simultaneously working five other water rescues at the time of the call from the girl, including a k9 officer unit from Cottonwood who was also washed downstream in a different wash a short distance from 16-year-old girl. Both the officer and K9 are okay.
Ground searches were conducted throughout the night and continued Sunday morning.
Authorities are using drones from Sedona Fire, Verde Fire, DPS, and YCSO in the air as well as YCSO swift water rescue teams.
An airboat from Maricopa County Sherriff’s office is being deployed at Alcantara. This search is being coordinated with Prescott National Forest, and a helicopter from Guardian Air involved in the search.
The Cottonwood Police Department says “the outpouring of support from the community has been overwhelming.”