PADRE ISLAND, Texas – A Victoria family’s beach cleanup at Padre Island National Seashore took a surprising turn when 11-year-old Daniel Weinheimer, walking the family’s two dogs, discovered a suspicious package buried in the sand on March 29.
Marked with a Florida Gators logo, the bundle was later confirmed by authorities to contain cocaine—one of multiple bricks found in the area. The family alerted a Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden, who contacted National Park Rangers and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Officials say drugs occasionally wash ashore along the Coastal Bend, often from vessels in the Caribbean or Yucatán region. We had the chance to speak with the family, who say they’re proud of Daniel’s quick thinking and hope their experience reminds others to report suspicious items and avoid handling unknown objects…