a day ago
Family recounts parents' efforts to save children in Ruidoso flooding. GoFundMe launched
The family of two children who died in Ruidoso, New Mexico, is recounting the horrific moment floodwaters swept the young siblings away and the desperate attempt by their parents to save their lives, as detailed in a GoFundMe page.
Charlotte and Sebastian Trotter, 4 and 7 years old, were found dead on July 8 after flash flooding swept across the village of Ruidoso and into Riverview RV Park. The children and their parents, Sebastian and Stephanie Trotter, had arrived just two days prior for a camping trip from El Paso, Texas.
"On July 8th, what was supposed to be a carefree family vacation in Ruidoso, New Mexico, turned into a nightmare no one could have imagined," wrote Hank Wyatt, the children's uncle, on the GoFundMe.
Wyatt described a typical day ahead of the flash flooding, which included exploring the village, shopping, playing soccer and pizza for lunch. The family was packing up the RV when flooding hit, he said.
"They received no warning or alerts on their phone when suddenly water began to flood the campsite at a rapid pace," Wyatt wrote on GoFundMe. "The RV began to fill up with water before they could even step out of the door. Their efforts to escape the RV and seek refuge failed. As the water got more and more violent, the RV was nearly half way filled with water when the wall of the RV cracked in half and the mother and kids were sucked into the water."
The children's father, Sebastian, dove into the water to save their daughter, Wyatt wrote, as Stephanie and her son climbed up a tree. Charlotte continued down the river until trees and debris hit and separated them. Stephanie then started drowning until she was rescued, he said.
"It was impossible for them to fight against the speed and depth of the water at this point," Wyatt said.
The family also lost their two dogs, Zeus and Elle.
Both parents sustained serious injuries and are recovering at a Texas hospital. Sebastian is a soldier stationed at Fort Bliss, while Stephanie is a nursing student. Sebastian faces a long road of recovery, Wyatt wrote. The family is raising funds for medical bills and rehabilitation, and to cover funeral expenses for the two children.
The GoFundMe had raised over $52,000 in donations as of 2 p.m. on July 10.
On GoFundMe, Wyatt said the two siblings were among the "brightest, most joyful souls you could ever meet."
"Little Sebastian loved nothing more than chasing a soccer ball across a field, dreaming of playing professionally one day," he wrote. "Charlotte was our little performer. Always singing, always twirling, and lighting up every room she entered. They were kind, curious, and loved harder than anyone I've ever known."
The third victim, identified by officials as a man between 40 and 50 years old, was swept away at the same RV park as the Trotter family.
In an interview with the El Paso Times, the owner of Riverview RV Park identified him as Tim Feagin, who worked and lived at the campsite.
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@ @NatassiaPaloma on Twitter; natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma Thompson on Facebook.
More: Where could Ruidoso Downs horse racing season relocate if moved in 2025? Here are options
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Family creates GoFundMe for children who died in New Mexico flooding
