Navajo Nation Flood Claims Three Lives, Including a 7-Year-Old

Three members of a Navajo family, including a 7-year-old girl celebrating her upcoming birthday, died in flash floods on the Navajo Nation this week. Elsie Begay, her granddaughter Lucy Allison Mike, and Begay’s best friend Dora Franklin were swept away Tuesday near Newcomb, New Mexico, when their truck became stuck in mud as storms moved through the region.

Kalisi Begay, a relative who was with the group, opted to walk home while her mother and granddaughter remained with the vehicle. The floodwaters rose rapidly, engulfing the truck and washing away Elsie Begay, Lucy Mike, and their friend Dora Franklin as they attempted to cross a wash.

The incident occurred as a late-season monsoon surge brought heavy rain and flash flooding to the Four Corners region, impacting communities across the Navajo Nation. The floods have damaged roads, forced evacuations, and isolated some residents.

Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren declared a state of emergency on Friday, as rising waters and damaged infrastructure left multiple roads impassable. In Shiprock, New Mexico, three families were evacuated Friday evening due to flooding near the San Juan River. Multiple roads remained closed, prompting Nygren to urge residents to use alternate routes, check on elders, and follow the guidance of emergency personnel.

In Mexican Springs, a community approximately 40 miles south of Newcomb, flash flooding rendered many dirt and gravel roads unusable, stranding some families and preventing others from reaching their homes. Darnell Etsitty, a local government maintenance worker, described the damage, noting washed-out ditches, missing culvert pipes, and large holes in the roads. Volunteers have converted the Mexican Springs Chapter House into a temporary shelter and are using ATVs to deliver essential supplies to stranded households.

Elsie Begay was employed as a business technician at Sanostee Day School, where Lucy Mike was a third-grade student. Dora Franklin worked as a bus driver for a nearby school. Family members remembered Begay and Franklin for their dedication to children; Begay was known for decorating the school's front office for holidays and making visitors feel welcome, while Franklin often gave candy to students on her bus route. Begay was also active in community events and fundraisers.

Lucy Allison Mike, described as "beautiful" and "bright," had recently been crowned "Miss Sanostee Day School" on September 4 and was anticipating her 8th birthday party the following Tuesday. A relative, Stella Wilson, stated that Lucy was "a big blessing to her family."