Local News
Leila Faraji and 7-Year-Old Daughter Rosa Faraji dead after being swept away by flood waters near Bixby
The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed the recovery of the body of 7-year-old Rosa Faraji, who was swept away by floodwaters near Bixby, Oklahoma, over the weekend.
The discovery comes after an extensive multi-agency search that began following the incident.
Rosa’s body was found around 5:00 p.m. on Monday in the Arkansas River near Leonard, hours after the body of her mother, 46-year-old Leila Seyed Faraji, was recovered from the same area earlier that morning at approximately 9:00 a.m.
The family had been visiting the area when they reportedly took a wrong turn and attempted to cross a flooded bridge over a creek, according to the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO).
“They thought they could make it through, but unfortunately, the vehicle was overtaken by the water,” said Casey Roebuck, Communications Director for the TCSO. The family of four included a father, mother, and two young daughters.
Authorities say the vehicle was swept away, resulting in the tragic loss of Leila and Rosa.
The father and the second daughter managed to escape and survive the incident.
Roebuck described the emotional toll on the surviving family members, saying, “They’re devastated, understandably. You have a family of four that, in a matter of seconds, became a family of two. They’re now mourning the loss of a mother and a child. Our hearts absolutely go out to them.”
The recovery effort involved a massive coordinated response from multiple agencies.
“We had search dogs from Oklahoma Task Force 1, aerial support from Tulsa Police Department helicopters, drones, ground crews combing the riverbanks on foot, side-by-side utility vehicles, and multiple boats in the water since the search began,” Roebuck said.
While the outcome was heartbreaking, officials hope the recovery brings some sense of closure to the grieving family.
“They don’t have to wonder now where their wife and daughter are,” Roebuck added. “They can honor their customs and begin the process of laying their loved ones to rest.”
The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office expressed gratitude to all responding agencies and asked the public to keep the Faraji family in their thoughts during this difficult time.
Local News
29-Year-Old Alex Rodriguez Found Dead on University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, No Foul Play Suspected
URBANA, Ill. — A 29-year-old Champaign man found dead on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus Monday morning has been identified as Alex C. Rodriguez, according to the Champaign County Coroner’s Office.
The University of Illinois Police Department (UIPD) responded to the area of Green and Wright streets at approximately 6:42 a.m. after receiving a report of an unresponsive person near the Alma Mater statue.
Officers arrived and found Rodriguez on a concrete bench. Emergency medical assistance was requested at the scene.
The Champaign County Coroner’s Office responded, and Rodriguez was pronounced dead at approximately 7:16 a.m., according to Coroner Laurie Brauer.
Authorities said Rodriguez was not affiliated with the University of Illinois.
UIPD provided an update Monday afternoon, saying preliminary observations at the scene revealed no signs of foul play.
Police also said there was no evidence of an ongoing threat to the university campus or surrounding community based on the information available when officers responded.
Because investigators did not identify an active threat, the university did not issue an Illini-Alert emergency notification.
The circumstances surrounding Rodriguez’s death have not been determined.
An autopsy has been scheduled, and the death remains under investigation by the University of Illinois Police Department.
Authorities have not released additional information about the circumstances leading to Rodriguez’s death.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional details are expected as investigators receive further information from the autopsy and other evidence.
No foul play has been indicated based on the preliminary investigation.