Kansas Flood

Robert Rogers and his wife, Melissa, of Liberty, Mo., are shown in a recent family handout photo with their children, MaKenah, top; Nicholas, left; Alenah, center; and Zachary. Melissa and the children were swept away Labor Day weekend in the family's minivan, when floodwaters crossed the Kansas Turnpike south of Emporia, Kan.

This is the minivan that carried the Rogers family. The four children and their mother were killed when torrential rains swept the vehicle off the road. The children's father survived the tragedy, which struck about 8:30 p.m. Aug. 30, when a wall of water estimated to be 6 to 7 feet high swept seven vehicles off the turnpike.

Elizabeth Anne Larsen of Fort Worth, Texas, and an unidentified man look at her husband's overturned Jeep Grand Cherokee Aug. 31, 2003, along the Kansas Turnpike south of Emporia, Kan. The vehicle was among those that were washed off the road Aug. 30. Al Larsen's body was recovered Sept. 2.

Emergency personnel look over the wreckage Aug. 31, 2003, of one of seven cars that were swept off a section of Interstate 35 about 10 miles south of Emporia, Kan., by flash flooding from a torrential rain storm.

A section of the Kansas Turnpike that was damaged by heavy rains is shown Aug. 31, 2003, near Emporia, Kan.

Vehicles washed off the Kansas Turnpike during a flash flood Aug. 30, 2003, are seen mired in a flooded field the following day, south of Emporia, Kan.

Searchers load a drag hook into a boat Monday, Sept. 1, 2003, near Emporia, Kan., before beginning to look for two people who disappeared after floodwaters washed cars off the Kansas Turnpike on the night of Aug. 30. Jacob Creek came over the top of the highway to cause the flood.

One of seven vehicles that was washed from the Kansas Turnpike at mile marker 116 near Emporia, Kan., sits about one and 1/2 miles west of the road Aug. 31, 2003.

Don Patton, left, public land manager, and Dave Adams, conservation officer, both with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, search an area approximately half a mile west of the Kansas Turnpike near Emporia, Kan., Aug. 31, 2003.

Rescuers with dogs search the banks along Jacob Creek while boats are used to search the creek Sept. 1, 2003, near Emporia, Kan. They were looking for the two missing people after several cars were swept off nearby Interstate 35 on Aug. 30 when the creek flooded the highway. The missing bodies were found Sept. 2.

Robert Rogers of Liberty, Mo., flanked by relatives, reads a prepared statement for members of the media Sept. 1, 2003, in Emporia, Kan. Rogers' four children were all killed in a flash flood Aug. 30 on the Kansas Turnpike. The body of Rogers' wife, Melissa, was recovered Sept. 2.

Outside the Rogers home in Liberty, Mo., Sherrie Moody, rear, helps her children, Emilee, right, and Mikayla leave stuffed animals in memory of the Rogers' children Sept. 1, 2003.

Robert Rogers, left, along with unidentified family members, hug for a prayer next to the Rogers family minivan that was moved to the edge of the Interstate 35, Sept. 2, 2003, near Emporia, Kan.

Five crosses are shown along the edge of Interstate 35 Sept. 2, 2003, near Emporia, Kan., above Jacob's Creek where seven vehicles were washed off the road and six people died Aug. 30. The five crosses were put up by Robert Rogers and family after Rogers lost his wife and four children when their minivan was washed off the road and down the creek.