Two siblings in California were swept away in the Kings River after their mother and her friend tried to take them to swim across to reach a rock. A call was placed to authorities about the 8-year-old girl and 4-year-old boy lost in the water around 2 p.m. May 21. Authorities said neither of the children was wearing a life jacket. The river has been closed for recreational use since earlier this spring because of high water levels.
The water was also cold — in the low 50s — with a swift current that made for very dangerous conditions, according to a press release from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. This devastating accident points to the crucial need to practice water safety with young children, such as wearing life jackets in open water and understanding the current and water temperature, per the National Drowning Prevention Alliance.
More from CafeMom: Mom Dies by Drowning While Swimming in Lake, Leaving 5-Year-Old & Newborn on Boat
The incident happened shortly after the family arrived at the river.
The mother, an adult friend, the 8-year-old daughter, and the 4-year-old son used a wheelchair-friendly fishing spot a mile away from the Pine Flat Dam on Sunday afternoon, even though the river had been closed since March, according to ABC 30. The family tried to make it to a rock when the current carried the children away, and sadly, neither of them was wearing a life jacket, according to authorities.
“From what I understand, it was pretty soon after they arrived at the river that this happened. So it was just like, as they were getting to the location, where they wanted to picnic or set up is when the kids fell in,” Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Sergeant Matthew Hamilton told the news outlet.
It took nearly 40 search and rescue personnel to find the body of the 4-year-old boy.
The 8-year-old girl was found dead after an hour of search and rescue, per CNN. But more than three dozen responders had to search for the 4-year-old boy using drones, boats, and remote-controlled vehicles, according to Fresno County Sheriff’s Office representative Tony Botti.
The child was found Monday morning less than two miles from where he was dragged by the current against a tree, CNN reported. The sheriff’s office is still investigating the case, and it’s unclear if the mother and other adult involved will face any charges.
This heartbreaking accident highlights the need for parents to practice water safety with their children, especially in open water.
As little as 6 inches of water can make the current in some rivers strong enough to sweep someone downstream, according to the National Park Service. Additionally, water levels rise when heavy rain or snow melts from nearby mountains, as was the case for the Kings River, as well as after a bad storm. The park service also advises when you are in or around the water to always wear a life jacket because even strong swimmers can drown.
Authorities want the public to know how dangerous the river's conditions are.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office reminded the public that Fresno County rivers are closed because of the dangerous conditions.
“People don’t realize how powerful water is, and they don’t give it the respect that it deserves and you get stuck in situations like that — and it’s just not worth it,” Hamilton said, per ABC 30. Signs have been posted all along the river and at the entrance where the family was, the news outlet reported.
“Hopefully this is a lesson and people really take warning and really take this seriously that it’s no joke, that we can’t have people recreating around the water because of how dangerous it is,” Hamilton added, according to ABC 30.
