BASTROP COUNTY, Texas — Two men, a woman, and a dog have all died after an attempted rescue of the dog who fell into a hole in Bastrop County, Texas, early Wednesday morning.
In a news release, the Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office said on Wednesday around 1 a.m. deputies were called to help three people who were trapped in a hole in the 300 block of New Trails which they said is a cornfield.
When first responders arrived in the area, they found an underground “cistern” that was filled with water. They also observed strong smells coming from the cistern. First responders reportedly saw no signs of life.
A cistern is a tank for storing water.
Sheriff Maurice Cook said that a group of people were hog hunting on private property when a dog escaped from their truck, according to KHOU. The dog ran off and the group chased after it. They ultimately found the dog inside the cistern.
Cook said that it appeared that one of the hunters jumped in the cistern but got trapped. The news outlet reported that deputies later discovered that the water in the cistern had hydrogen sulfite gas inside.
Two other people jumped into the cistern to help rescue the first person and the dog. The sheriff’s office said a fourth person went to get the truck and called 911. The level of the water in the cistern was at ground level and prevented anyone from getting out. As a result, all three people and the dog died.
The sheriff’s office said all three people were from Florida. They were identified as Delvys Garcia, 37; Denise Martinez, 26; and Noel Vigil-Benitez, 45.
The dog was reportedly tracked by its collar, the fourth person told officials, according to The Associated Press.
The sheriff’s office said that the investigation into the cistern is ongoing. An autopsy was ordered and all of the bodies were brought over to the medical examiner’s office by a funeral home in the area. The sheriff’s office said the funeral home also took the dog.
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