HEARTBREAKING: Police officially announced the autopsy results of the 12-year-old girl who died during a diving training course in Texas — the cause was concluded to be…
ROCKWALL, TEXAS — Weeks after the tragic death of 12-year-old Dylan Harrison, police have finally released the official autopsy results, bringing both answers and even more heartbreak to a family still reeling from loss.
According to the report, Dylan’s death during a scuba-diving training session at Scuba Ranch in Terrell, Texas has been classified as an accidental drowning. Medical examiners confirmed there were no signs of foul play or external trauma, and toxicology tests came back negative.
However, investigators say that “critical procedural failures” during the training may have contributed to the accident. Dylan — who was taking part in an Open Water Certification course — was found 42 feet underwater, far from the group’s training platform, after a reported “communication error” among divers.
Witnesses recalled that she had surfaced moments earlier, smiling and signaling to her instructor, before disappearing from view. When she didn’t resurface, instructors and nearby divers began searching frantically. Her body was later discovered by a separate dive team that happened to be training nearby.
The Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement:
“This was a deeply tragic accident. Our hearts go out to Dylan’s family. The case remains open as we continue to review instructor procedures and dive safety protocols.”
Family members say that several key questions remain unanswered — including why the group’s dive computers allegedly lost or failed to record data during the critical minutes when Dylan went missing. That missing information has sparked frustration and suspicion from the family, who are now demanding accountability.
Dylan’s mother, who captured the final photo of her daughter smiling before the dive, shared a tearful message online:
“She was so excited to learn, to make her dad and grandpa proud. We just want to make sure no other family has to feel this pain.”
As of now, no charges have been filed, but the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Dallas County Sheriff’s dive team are both assisting in the ongoing investigation.
A small memorial stands near the lake, where flowers, dive badges, and photos of Dylan continue to grow each day — reminders of a little girl whose dream adventure turned into a family’s worst nightmare.