Remains found likely those of 10th Arizona flash flood victim
The Gila County Sheriff’s office said it believes the body is a missing man's.
— -- A body found near a debris-filled creek in central Arizona on Wednesday night is believed to be that of a 27-year-old man who went missing after a deadly flash flood over the weekend.
The Gila County Sheriff's office said it located remains near the Shoo Fly Creek that are "believed to be related to the search" for Hector Garnica, who went missing Saturday after torrential rains flooded the Cold Springs swimming hole near Payson, Arizona, where he and his family were celebrating his wife's birthday, on Sunday.
Garnica's wife, Maria Garnica, and their three children — Danny, 7; Mia, 5; and Emily, 3 — were carried away and killed in the flash flood. Five other members of the family were also killed. Only four of the 14 family members who were swimming at the creek were rescued, officials said.
At a Wednesday evening press conference, Gila County Sheriff J. Adam Shepherd called the investigation "open and very complex" and said the remains would be examined to confirm the victim's identity.
"We are working with the Department of Public Safety to do a DNA analysis on the remains to make sure that this is the individual that we're looking for," Shepherd said, "and of course, that being our 10th victim to this situation, Hector Garnica."
Garnica's family announced earlier on Wednesday that funeral services for their relatives who died in the flash flood would be held early next week.
Shepherd confirmed that the family was notified about the remains.
"We have been working with the family," he said Wednesday. "They have been notified, and we have been talking to them."
Authorities said Department of Public Safety helicopter crew members spotted the remains along the East Verde River as they were mapping out a search plan.
Rescue teams had been urgently conducting air and ground searches for Garnica since the flash flood hit, but the search was called off around 1 p.m. Wednesday as thunderstorms created possible flood conditions.
Questions have arisen about whether the government should or could have done more to warn the public about the dangers of floodwaters in wilderness areas, according to a report by The Associated Press.
There is no system in place to specifically warn people about the potential dangers of flash floods at the Tonto National Forest, where the family was celebrating, according to AP.
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