The body of a Strathmore teenager missing since May was recovered Wednesday from the Tule River, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office said.
The victim, who the Sheriff’s Office didn’t identify, went missing on May 12.
Personnel from the Sheriff’s Office’s Swiftwater Dive Rescue team performed the search and recovery. With the help of a body-searching dogs from the California Office of Emergency Services, the boy’s body was recovered about 7 p.m. Wednesday.
The victim, who the Sheriff’s Office didn’t identify, went missing on Ma
y 12. He was last seen in an area between Springville and Camp Nelson, in a location commonly known as the Stairs. His body was recovered about half a mile downstream.
Search efforts had been hampered by high water flows.
The Boy’s Family Was Notified
“We searched by air and analyzed water flows daily since the boy went missing,” sheriff’s Lt. Kevin Kemmerling said in a statement. “We purposefully picked today as the best opportunity for a successful recovery mission and all the stars aligned.”
Kemmerling notified the boy’s family in person Wednesday.
Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux expressed sympathy for the family and appreciation for his personnel.
“My heart breaks for this family,” he said. “I am extremely proud of the men and women of the Sheriff’s Swiftwater Dive Rescue Team. They are the best in the state and continually risk their lives to bring closure to families time and time again.”
Boudreaux noted that the Tule River remained closed to recreational use due to strong, chilling water from Sierra snowpack runoff.
