PORT ARANSAS, Texas – A 5-year-old child died Wednesday evening, July 22, 2026, after an apparent drowning near Beach Marker 46 in Port Aransas, according to the Port Aransas Police Department.
Police said officers were called to the beach at about 5:35 p.m. after a report that a child had been pulled from the water and was not breathing. When officers arrived, a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game warden was already performing CPR, police said. Port Aransas officers assisted with lifesaving efforts, including using an automated external defibrillator, while waiting for emergency medical services.
EMS transported the child to a local hospital for emergency treatment, police said. Later that evening, the department said it was notified the child had died.
The child has since been identified as 5-year-old Benny Arredondo, from Jourdanton.
The preliminary investigation indicates the child had been at the beach with his grandparents. Investigators learned the child had been wearing a flotation device earlier in the day, but it was removed as the family was preparing to leave, police said. The child, who was unable to swim, was reported missing after family members briefly lost sight of him and was later found in the water near Beach Marker 46, according to the release.
The incident remains under investigation by the Port Aransas Police Department in coordination with the Nueces County Medical Examiner. Police said there is no indication of foul play.
“Our hearts are with this child’s family as they endure an unimaginable loss,” Chief James Stokes said. “This tragedy serves as a heartbreaking reminder that young children can disappear from sight in only moments, and constant, uninterrupted supervision around the water is essential. We ask our community to keep this family in their thoughts and prayers.”
Police encouraged beach visitors to practice water safety by maintaining constant, arm’s-length supervision of young children; ensuring children who cannot swim wear a properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket whenever they are near or in the water; never relying solely on flotation devices as a substitute for adult supervision; and designating a responsible adult to actively watch children whenever they are in or around the water.
No further information was being released “out of respect for the family’s privacy and the ongoing investigation,” the department said.