Staff report

Roughly 11 weeks since the Memorial Day flood of the Blanco River, authorities are preparing to begin a new phase in the search and recovery of two children still missing since the event. . 

According to a release from the City of San Marcos, the new phase, which is expected to begin this weekend, will encompass areas near the Blanco River that were recently made accessible by lower water levels. 

Several private organizations will send teams to assist in the new phase. They include the Texas, Alamo Area and Travis County Search and Rescue teams.

Search teams will begin the new phase in Caldwell County on Friday and Saturday. They will move their search effort to Hays County on Aug. 21 and 22.

Search and rescue teams continue to search for six-year-old William Charba and four-year-old Leighton McComb. The children were last seen at 100 Deer Crossing in Wimberley when the home they were in was swept away by floodwaters.

Every week since the flood, various search teams from across the state have combed areas in Hays and Caldwell Counties in search of the missing children.

Search crews have recovered and identified nine flood victims since the May 24 flood. No recoveries have been made since early June.

Flood Victims Identified:

·       William Randall Charba, age 42, found near Bluffview Drive near Wimberley

·       Dayton Larry Thomas, age 74, found in northern San Marcos May 24

·       Michelle Marie Carey-Charba, age 43, found May 25 in Caldwell County

·       Jose Alvaro Arteaga-Pichardo, age 29, found in the area of Loop 165 in Wimberley May 26

·       Jonathan Andrew McComb, age 6, found May 27 near Water Park Road and RR 3237 in Wimberley

·       Ralph Hugh Carey, White Male, age 73, found May 28 near Fox Road northwest of San Marcos

·       Sue McNeil Carey, White Female, age 71, found May 30 at Lime Kiln and Water Tower Roads in San Marcos

·       Laura Schultz McComb, White Female, age 34, found May 30 near the Blanco River near the 700 Block of Bluffview Road in Wimberley

·       Kenneth Reissig, White Male, age 81, found May 28 near the Blanco River at Narrows Road, near the Blanco/Hays County line.

List of Missing:

·       William Charba, White Male, age 6 (DOB: 01/29/09) last seen at 100 Deer Crossing, Wimberley

·       Leighton McComb, White Female, age 4 (DOB: 07/23/10) last seen at 100 Deer Crossing, Wimberley