Missing Texas man found alive after cries for help heard underground

A 29-year-old man whose family had reported him missing was rescued after a deputy heard a voice calling for help coming from under the ground on a rural property in Edinburg, Texas, officials said.

Firefighters cut through concrete and used rescue equipment to free the man from a septic tank before transporting him to a local hospital in stable condition, the Edinburg Fire Department and local news outlets reported.

Newsweek contacted the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office via email outside normal working hours for more information and an update on the man’s condition.

Why It Matters

Rural properties across the U.S. often contain aging infrastructure that emergency personnel warn could create concealed risks.

This case illustrates how routine welfare checks and local law-enforcement responsiveness can produce lifesaving results in rural areas, where hazards such as open or damaged septic systems pose a danger to residents and first responders alike.

What To Know

Deputies responded after the man’s family called 911 for a welfare check around 9 a.m. on August 8, saying the man had not arrived at a day care that morning and had not been seen since 9 p.m. the previous night, KVEO reported, citing the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office.

A deputy was granted permission to search the family’s rural property and, while calling out the man’s name, heard a “faint voice coming from the ground, calling for help,” the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office said, per KVEO.

The deputy traced the voice to a septic tank and found the missing man trapped beneath a tire inside the tank. He had fallen “through a small opening” into the tank, the Edinburg Fire Department wrote in a Facebook post that included photos of the rescue operation.

Firefighters arrived around 10 a.m., KVEO reported, to assist and cut through concrete to free the man. They then used rescue equipment to pull him to safety. Photos show at least 15 people aiding in the operation.

The Edinburg Fire Department reported that the man was in stable condition when he was taken to a hospital.

Edinburg is in the south of the Lone Star State, close to the U.S.-Mexico border and about 240 miles away from San Antonio.

What People Are Saying

The Edinburg Fire Department wrote on Facebook: “Our Edinburg firefighters jumped into action to assist with a rescue in county jurisdiction. … Proud of our crew’s quick thinking and teamwork!”

What Happens Next

Local authorities said the situation remained under investigation.