20 Campers Killed in Arkansas Floods

LANGLEY, Ark. - Search crews recovered the body of a 20th flood victim just after 10:00am Monday. Sources tell FOX13 it was the body of a missing child.

Authorities say the recovery was made near the campsite, but unlike the last two bodies found in debris piles, this victim's body was found in the river.

Though heat was again a concern, more people were sent out Monday than on Sunday. The number of dog teams was even doubled to twelve as the search began early for at least one confirmed missing person.

"The decision was made to concentrate our efforts more toward Albert Pike South where most of the other recoveries have taken place and that proved to be a good thing," said Michael Quesinberry with the U.S. Forest Service. "Hopefully no one else is left."

Despite Monday's recovery of who is believed to be the last confirmed missing person, authorities say the search will carry on for a couple more days. They said they believe many others first feared missing were camping in other parts of the state, without cell phone coverage.

A heavy storm sent a wall of water rushing down the river while most campers were sleeping, leaving them scrambling in the dark for safety amid the area's steep terrain.

Floodwaters rose up to 8 feet per hour, pouring through the remote valley with such force that they peeled asphalt from roads. Cabins along the river banks were severely damaged, and mobile homes were tossed on their sides.

Forecasters had warned of the approaching danger in the area during the night, but campers could easily have missed the advisories because the area is isolated and cell phone service is poor.

By Sunday evening, crews had searched some fifty miles of river and tributaries at least twice, and three or four times in some areas, Forest Service Incident Commander Mike Quesinberry said. The terrain made it impossible to bring in heavy equipment to unlock some of the huge debris piles that collected along the river. One measured 30 feet high and more than 100 feet long, he said.

"This is an area that's so rugged, there's so much debris ... you can't get to it," Fletcher said.

Eighteen of the 20 victims have been publicly identified, among them seven children age 7 or younger. Eight of the 18 were from Louisiana, seven were from Texas and three were from Arkansas.

Among the victims were 23-year-old Leslie Jez and her 3-year-old son, Kaden, of Foreman, Ark., and Jez's 43-year-old mother, Sheri Wade, of New Boston, Texas. Leslie's husband and Kaden's father, Adam Jez, survived.

The family set out to the campground on Thursday, a day earlier than normal because of Adam's work schedule. It was a decision that proved fatal.

"(Kaden's) only vocabulary when it wasn't 'mama' and 'daddy' consisted of tractors and horses," Leslie's grandfather, former Arkansas legislator Charles "Bubba" Wade, said Sunday. "I can just see her holding the baby" during the flood, Wade said of his granddaughter, his words choked with grief.

Wade said camping trips and the outdoors were commonplace for his large family. His children and grandchildren went to Boy and Girl Scout events at the campground, and Kaden and Leslie rode horses and rounded up cattle together.

"Little Kaden had been up here on my 81st birthday, sitting on my lap with cowboy boots on," said Wade, who spent 18 years as a state lawmaker and introduced the legislation that created the nearby Millwood State Park.

Arkansas emergency officials have set up a hotline for people to call if they want to report a loved one missing who may have been in camping along the Caddo and Little Missouri Rivers: 1-888-683-2336.