Teen found dead after going missing while rafting in picturesque California park

A search-and-recovery operation ended in tragedy Sunday afternoon after authorities located the body of a missing 17-year-old boy in the Stanislaus River.

Emergency personnel first responded to reports of a swimmer in distress Saturday afternoon at Caswell Memorial State Park in San Joaquin County.

Because crews from the Ripon Consolidated Fire Department were actively battling a vegetation fire at the time, the Manteca Fire Department initially stepped in to handle the dispatch.

The victim has been identified by family members as Gabriel Santiago.

His mother told KCRA that Gabriel was out with friends when the incident occurred and described him as a loving child.

Santiago was rafting when he went underwater and failed to resurface, according to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office.

First responders launched a multi-agency search around 4 p.m. Saturday, scouring the river and shoreline until dark.

Operations resumed Sunday morning and continued into the afternoon before searchers recovered his body.

The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office is leading the ongoing investigation into the drowning, supported by its Boating Safety Unit, Unmanned Aircraft System drone team, and Ripon Fire personnel.

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