A summer day that was meant to be full of excitement and family bonding turned into heartbreak at The Scuba Ranch in Terrell, Texas.
Twelve-year-old Dylan Harrison, ready to earn her scuba certification and join her father and grandfather underwater, tragically lost her life during a training session on August 16.
Now, a lot of questions are swirling and the investigations are ongoing.
The scuba community is reeling after Dylan Harrison’s tragic death earlier this summer. During a training session on August 16, something went terribly wrong, and Dylan’s body was later recovered about 42 feet underwater at The Scuba Ranch in Terrell, Texas.
The instructor leading Dylan’s class, Bill Armstrong, has now been permanently suspended by the facility, while Scuba Toys, the dive company holding the certification class, is also suspended pending investigation results.
“We are heartbroken by the recent tragic loss of a young life at our lake. Our deepest sympathy and prayers are with her family and friends, during this unimaginably difficult time,” The Scuba Ranch said in a statement.
“Immediately after this event occurred, out of an abundance of caution, we permanently suspended the instructor (Bill Armstrong) from teaching at our facility. Scuba Toys was also suspended from training pending the results of this investigation. This step was taken solely to ensure that safety remains the top priority for divers while at The Scuba Ranch.”
Witness describes chaos
Richard Thomas, owner of International Scuba in Carrollton, was on site that morning to train other scuba instructors.
His account paints a scene of confusion and delayed action.
“When we finally realized it was a girl in water lost from her class, all my instructors had gear already. I had them get in,” Thomas told Fox4.
He ran over to the other shop’s pavilion and, upon arriving, saw that no one was taking action; everyone stood there, seemingly shell-shocked.
Thomas tried to locate Dylan’s instructor and was frustrated by his lack of cooperation.
“I asked, ‘Who is the instructor here? Is there a professional here?’ No one answered. A lady walked down. I said, ‘Is there an instructor here?’ She said, ‘Yes, my husband.’ I said, ‘Where is he?’ She said, ‘He’s standing right in front of you.’”
“At that point, I asked, ‘What is going on? Where did you see her last? I have people in the water, help me out.’ He started telling me, ‘I didn’t do anything wrong.’ I said, ‘Divers get separated frequently, it could have happened to me. Tell me where you saw her last so we can begin a search.’ It was very difficult to get information out of him,” Thomas added.
Instructor found ”bone dry”
Thomas also raised concerns about how long Armstrong was out of the water before rescue attempts began.Thomas noted that Armstrong was ”bone dry” while he himself was still wet when he arrived at the hospital with the family, which raised questions for him.
Sadly, Dylan was ultimately found at a depth of 45 feet, located by a separate diver within seven minutes — a critical window for possible rescue. In an interview with Fox4, Thomas explained that seven minutes is generally considered the critical window in which a drowning victim can potentially be revived.
Dive computer reportedly missing
Dylan’s family is now searching for answers about her final moments, according to Fox 4. Their attorney revealed that law enforcement failed to retrieve data from one of the dive computers, which is now reportedly missing.
Thomas also voiced concern over the lack of dive computer data collection from Dylan, Armstrong, and the dive master, noting that one of the devices has been lost.
“It is unbelievable they have not gotten those computers and gotten the data off of them,” Thomas said.
The tragic backstory
Dylan loved the water. She was poised to become the third generation of divers in her family, training alongside her father and grandfather, according to Rockwell County Herald-Banner.
According to her obituary, Dylan, also known as Dillie Picklez, had a big heart and a joyful spirit that brightened the lives of everyone around her. Everyone who met her adored her gentle and kind nature. Her life was full of fun and adventure — she loved singing, especially karaoke, and would belt out her favorite songs with friends. Dylan taught herself to play many pieces on the piano by watching YouTube videos and could draw almost anything she set her mind to, though she wasn’t interested in coloring pre-made pages.
Gifted in both music and art, she was a thoughtful, caring girl who loved deeply, and her energy and sweetness made her a joy to be around.
Paired with another 12-year-old
Unfortunately, she never got to live past 12, taken from this world that fateful August day. That morning, she and eight classmates, led by Armstrong and a dive master, were on a training platform 16 feet below the surface.
After a miscommunication, the students were brought back up and lowered again — but Dylan vanished.
Her family raised concerns that Dylan had been paired with another 12-year-old rather than an experienced diver, as they had expected, according to the Rockwall Herald-Banner. Additionally, the lake’s low visibility made it harder for instructors to keep students in sight and ensure their safety.
The Scuba Ranch has emphasized it does not employ instructors, and that all divers and companies using its lake are independent, though required to follow recognized scuba safety standards.
“All Dive Instructors are independent of The Scuba Ranch and not affiliated with us other than as a customer. We do require that all instructors using our facilities follow recognized scuba safety standards outlined by their credentialing agency, as well as professional judgment, to train students safely,” the statement read.
Open investigation
The Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that Dylan’s death remains an open criminal investigation.
Meanwhile, the family and scuba experts continue to seek answers about what went wrong, including why crucial evidence from dive computers was never collected and the instructor’s delayed response.
“We pray this family receives the answers, justice, and closure they deserve, and that all of the dive community would be strengthened through what we learn from this tragedy,” The Scuba Ranch concluded.
Dylan Harrison’s tragic death is a sobering reminder of how quickly a joyful day can turn into a family’s worst nightmare — and how every precaution in water safety matters.
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