3 Girls Found Dead in Pond Near Texas Home: 'No Idea' Why They Were There, Sheriff Says
Texas authorities said three young girls have been found dead in a private pond near their Cass County home, multiple outlets reported.
The bodies of Temari Oliver, 5, Amiyah Hughes, 8, and Zi'Ariel Oliver, 9, were located in the pond early Saturday morning, officials said, according to CBS affiliate KSLA and the Texarkana Gazette. The trio was reported missing late Friday night.
"We have no idea what the girls were doing there," Cass County Sheriff Larry Rowe told the Gazette.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Lieutenant Jason Jones said the investigation into the girls' deaths has been turned over to the Department of Public Safety's Texas Rangers, per CBS affiliate KHOU.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife deferred comment to the Cass County Sheriff's Office, which did not did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
The Texas Rangers also did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Shutterstock A police car
As of Tuesday, the circumstances surrounding the girls' disappearance remain unclear. Their home is located just off of state Highway 77, according to the reports.
The person who called to report the children missing is believed to have been with the girls, while their mother, with whom the witness is reportedly friends, was at work, per the Gazette.
Officials ventured out to the victims' last known location, and brought K-9 units with them, Jones told KHOU.
Their search led them to the pond, which is less than 200 feet away from the residence.
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At the pond, Jones said authorities located a pair of tennis shoes "right next to the water." Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife Captain Game Warden Shawn Hervey also said a shoe was found near the water, according to CBS affiliate WKRG.
Family told authorities that the item belonged to one of the girls, per the reports.
Authorities also discovered footprints near the water. Jones told KHOU they appeared to be leading into the pond.
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Bowie County Dive Teams assisted with the recovery, WKRG and the Gazette reported. It is "unknown" if the girls were able to swim, Jones said.
"None of them had lifejackets on, so I don't know how strong of swimmers they were or if were swimmers at all," he explained.
The girls' bodies will undergo autopsies, Jones said, according to KHOU.
"Nobody has been accused of anything," Rowe said, per the Gazette.
