Leaked Courtroom Audio Uncovers Survivors’ Harrowing Testimonies in Tragic Case of Texas Family Lost at Sea
(Image: Facebook)
Harrowing audio from a presumptive death hearing sheds light on the tragic final moments of the Maynard family, who were lost at sea when their tour boat capsized off the coast of Alaska in August. Mary and David Maynard, aged 37 and 42, along with their two sons, 11-year-old Colton, and 7-year-old Brantley, are presumed dead after the 28-foot aluminum tour boat they were on took on water and capsized near Homer, Alaska.
The vessel reportedly radioed for help, and a nearby ship responded, but upon arrival, rescuers could only save four people from the boat. The Maynards were not among them, and the survivors were found on a life raft without their families. “They were just gone,” one survivor recounted to the jury during the Sept. 19 hearing, as reported by KCEN-TV. “It was maybe 10 minutes from having fun to the boat tipping over, the engines going down, and the nose rising up.”
The captain of the tour boat, whose identity remains undisclosed, testified that one of the engines malfunctioned, prompting him to anchor and call for assistance from a nearby fishing vessel. The captain recalled, “At one point, David got my attention and pointed to a drain hole on the deck, asking, ‘Is that normal?’ I said, ‘No.’” The captain then tried to start the engine and pull the anchor, but the boat wouldn’t restart. He last saw David as he radioed for help.
The captain explained that as the boat began to sink rapidly, he tried to get his own family onto the life raft and did not know where the Maynards went. By the time the nearby ship, Salty Sea, arrived, he realized the Maynards had not made it off the boat. Despite rescue efforts, including a helicopter, plane, cutter, and two additional vessels, the search for the Maynards continued for 30 hours with no success.
The U.S. Coast Guard, aided by Alaska Wildlife Troopers and Good Samaritan teams, conducted the search with steamboats. However, survival odds were slim; the Coast Guard estimated the family’s functional survival time was just over 7 hours, with cold survival time under 10 hours.
On Sept. 19, a six-person jury concluded that the Maynards had died from accidental drowning. Despite the ruling, the family’s relatives are still seeking answers. David’s aunt, Rhonda Rizzo, expressed her frustration, saying, “We have no idea what happened. We’ve got multiple stories, but nothing definite, and it’s just frustrating.”
Rizzo recalled the last time she spoke to the family, the day they went missing. Hours later, she received a call informing her that the boat had capsized and the family was lost at sea. She remembered Colton as a “beautiful child” with a “heart of gold” who loved hugging people, while Brantley, whom she described as a “spitfire,” shared a similar personality to his father.
Mary worked as a travel nurse, while David stayed home to care for the children and run a lawn care business. The Maynards had faced challenges, including Colton’s epilepsy, which required brain surgery in 2021. Despite hardships, the family enjoyed traveling and spending time together, and they were doing what they loved when they tragically went missing in Alaska.
