Their parents looked away for a moment. When they looked back, the twins were gone.
Jefferson and Josue Perez, 13-year-old twin brothers, drowned near Galveston's Pleasure Pier on March 5, 2023. Both bodies were recovered within the following two days.
What Happened
Around 4:30 p.m. that Sunday, the twins were in the water roughly 20 yards west of the pier, in water described as waist- to chest-deep, when their parents briefly lost sight of them. According to Lt. Austin Kirwin of the Galveston Island Beach Patrol, the parents looked back toward the area moments later and the boys were no longer visible. No one witnessed either boy actually go underwater. Their mother told officials neither of her sons knew how to swim.
The Search
Family members searched for about an hour before contacting police around 5:30 p.m. The U.S. Coast Guard deployed helicopters to assist, though dense fog forced them to suspend aerial search efforts the following night. The Galveston Police Department took over as darkness fell, continuing the search into Tuesday morning alongside Beach Patrol personnel.
Recovery
Around 2 a.m. on Tuesday, a group of four people walking near 28th Street and Seawall Boulevard spotted a body in the water, pulled it to shore, and called 911. Officials confirmed it was one of the twins based on his clothing and physical description. Lt. Kirwin described the discovery as offering the family some measure of closure, while cautioning that recovering the second boy wasn't guaranteed to happen quickly, given how unpredictable the surrounding waters could be.
Two days later, in the early morning hours of Thursday, a member of the local community found a second body about 10 feet from shore near 47th Street and Seawall, matching the description of the remaining twin. He immediately called 911. Galveston Island Beach Patrol confirmed the discovery and said the family had been notified and was receiving support from the Jesse Tree, a local nonprofit.
Remembering Jefferson and Josue
The Aldine Independent School District confirmed that Jefferson and Josue were both students at Hoffman Middle School at the time of their deaths.
Frequently Asked Questions
Were both twins found?
Yes. Both bodies were recovered within a two-day span — the first on a Tuesday, the second early Thursday morning.
Did anyone witness what happened to them?
No. Their parents briefly lost sight of them in the water, and no one reported seeing either boy go underwater.
Where did the boys go to school?
They were both students at Hoffman Middle School in the Aldine Independent School District.