Flood waters take 2-year-old in NE Oklahoma

PEGGS, Okla. (AP) -- The body of a 2-year-old girl who was swept away by a rain swollen creek in northeastern Oklahoma was recovered Tuesday, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.

Mackinsey Beck disappeared into the creek near Peggs about 6 p.m. Monday as her mother, Heather Alverson, carried her from their home in an effort to escape the rising water.

"She had the baby on her shoulders and slipped and fell, she and the baby both fell in the rushing water," said Trooper Betsy Randolph.

The mother was able to make it to the creek bank and call for help.

The search for the child was suspended due to darkness Monday and resumed Tuesday morning.

The body was recovered by Oklahoma Lake Patrol troopers about 9 a.m., Randolph said.

Meanwhile, in Memphis, Tenn., a 7-year-old boy also drowned and a man was missing in waterways flooded by heavy rain.

Shelby County sheriff's department spokesman Steve Shular said Jacob Wade and three other boys were playing near a rain-swollen creek Monday afternoon when the 7-year-old boy slipped into the water and drowned.

Sheriff's officials said Tuesday morning they were also searching for a tow truck driver who apparently lost his footing and was swept into a flooded ditch while trying to tow a stalled car on the side of a road.

A strong storm system dumped heavy rains across eastern Oklahoma with rainfall totals in the 5 to 6 inch range across the region, according to meteorologist Pete Snyder with the National Weather Service in Tulsa, who said the weather system moved out of Oklahoma Monday night.

"Most of it had moved over into Arkansas, there was part of a squall line down in the south and there may have been a brief tornado in Choctaw County. There were no damages. They were mainly radar indicated tornado and we haven't had a chance to check to see if it actually touched down," Snyder said.

The forecast for Tuesday was for mostly sunny skies and milder temperatures from the mid 50s to lower 60s, followed by another, weaker, storm system expected to move into the state Wednesday, Snyder said.

"We're looking for more showers and thunderstorms, but the likelihood for any severe weather is going to be lower with this system because it's slightly cooler."

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