Horror as flood sweeps away three family members

Floodwaters swept 21-month-old Jessica Kemp out of her mother's arms. She is still missing. Photo / Supplied

Darren Keep had only just cheated death when he met with his brother Matthew Keep who told him of the chaos which swept away three family members.

They are yet to be found.

Darren told his brother's tragic Grantham flood story to The Chronicle yesterday.

Matthew was at home with his wife Stacy, who is six months pregnant, their children Maddison, 5, Jacob, 4, and Jessica, 21 months, his mother Pauline Magner and his mother-in-law Dawn Radke when the water hit.

"He had them up on the kitchen bench when water smashed through a brick wall and big glass windows," Darren said.

"It knocked them into the lounge room.

"Mum grabbed Maddison and threw her up on the lounge.

"Matt got to the hallway when water sucked him out through the garage."

Darren fought back tears as he told the story. "Dawn was hanging on to the ride-on mower and Matt said 'sorry Dawn, I can't help you'.

"Matt got washed down to the next house and he helped a family there get up on the roof because he thought his own family was already dead."

Matthew's wife Stacy had been sucked out of the house while holding on to daughter Jessica.

"She was holding on to a down pipe and then she got washed over to the railway line.

"Her legs got caught in the sleepers and she was drowning with her baby in her arms."

Darren said the water then took Jessica out of her mother's arms.

"The moment Stacy realised she didn't have her baby anymore she gave up and went under water but within moments someone rescued her."

Stacy was then flown to a Brisbane hospital. Meanwhile, Matthew was rescued by helicopter from the roof of a house and taken to Sandy Creek about one kilometre away.

After landing, Matthew and another man ran back towards his home.

When they got there, they jumped into the water to reach the home.

Matthew was swept past but the other man was able to make it inside.

"He found Maddison still in the lounge room and he found Jacob in the shower, still hanging on to the shower.

"We think mum must have put him there. She would have been trying to save the kids' lives before her own life.

"When Matthew came back around and found Jacob and Maddison he couldn't believe it."

The brothers then met on the way to each other's houses where they told each other of the horrors they had endured.

- TOOWOOMBA CHRONICLE