Austin Jay Childs, 17, of Houston was last seen April 8, 2005, when he left Freeport, Texas, on a fishing trip with two men, John Zimmerman and David Keller. The trio went about 26 miles offshore in Zimmerman’s 28-foot pleasure boat and were expected back the next day but never returned.

On April 10, 2005, the U.S. Coast Guard found the boat capsized in the Gulf. The craft showed damage believed to be from striking an object, possibly a log, and life jackets and seat cushions were observed floating nearby. There was no sign of the three men or the yellow Labrador retriever that had accompanied them; despite extensive searches they were never located and are presumed lost at sea.

Austin was described as an avid outdoorsman and was last seen wearing a brown leather jacket, blue jeans, flip-flop sandals, and a white shell choker necklace. If anyone has information about that April 2005 trip or saw the boat or its occupants, please come forward.