Search continues for 10-year-old girl last seen in the beach waters around Destin
Beginning Thursday night, June 12, multiple agencies including Destin Fire Rescue and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) have been searching relentlessly for a 10-year-old girl who was last seen in the waters of the Florida panhandle between O’Steen Beach and Norriego Point in Destin. There are multiple dive teams in the water. Destin Fire has asked that people stay clear of the area if possible.
On June 13, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office announced that they have not yet located the 10-year-old, identified as Trinity Eslinger, despite an extensive search effort that took place throughout the morning and afternoon in the area of the Destin East Pass, where Trinity was last seen in the water between O’Steen Beach and the L Jetties in Destin.
Trinity was last seen in the water between O’Steen Beach and Norriego Point in Destin around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, according to ABC 3 News. Trinity hails from Jonesboro, Arkansas.
The Sheriff’s Office deployed two vessels and ten divers who conducted a total of 24 dives in an effort to locate Trinity. A drone unit was utilized, Beach Patrol units searched the shorelines, and Community Resource Deputies were deployed to help fill operational gaps in the search.
The Sheriff’s Office extended their thanks to their public safety partners who joined them in their search efforts, including three vessels from Eglin Air Force Base, one vessel from Destin Fire Rescue with dive support from North Bay Fire Control District, and multiple vessels with divers—as well as a helicopter—from MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife, all working in close coordination with OCSO personnel.
The Sheriff’s Office also thanked the Destin Chamber of Commerce and Brotula’s Seafood House & Steamer for their generous support in assisting with the needs of our first responders.
Search operations are continuing today. For more on this still developing story, see the video below.
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(Sources: Destin Fire Rescue & Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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