Members of the Cameron County Park Ranger Division were first alerted of a possible drowning after 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 21. The Rangers arrived one mile north of County Beach Access No. 5 to find an unresponsive man who had been pulled from the water. That man was later identified as 49-year-old Matthew J. Shaw of Edcouch, a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, according to a news release from the park rangers.
Shaw had allegedly gone out for a swim prior to being pulled from the water, witnesses told the Park Rangers. Cameron County Park Rangers, alongside Cameron County Beach Patrol personnel, attempted life-saving measures on Shaw upon arrival before he could be placed into the care of South Padre Island Emergency Medical Services, according to the release. Shaw was transported to Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville but was pronounced dead at the hospital despite life-saving measures.
Park Rangers shared that next of kin have been identified, but the drowning remains an open investigation.
Boca Chica Beach Legends warns swimmers that South Padre Island averages about four drownings a year, mainly in the peak months of May through July. Rip currents are reportedly the biggest factor, but they also warn that Beach Access No. 5, where Shaw was recovered, is typically where most people fall victim, as it’s outside city limits and lacks lifeguards.
To ensure safety, swimmers are instructed to swim near lifeguards, avoid swimming during red-flag warnings and to swim parallel to shore if caught in a rip current.
MySA has reached out to Cameron County for an update on the drowning investigation.