Body recovered in search for missing teen in San Joaquin River

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – Teams searching for a teenager missing in the San Joaquin River recovered a body from the bottom of the river on Monday.

According to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the identity of the victim has not been confirmed but he does match the description of the person previously reported missing .

Deputies say on Sunday at around 4:30 p.m., Firebaugh police responded to the area near 11th and Q Streets behind the Firebaugh Rodeo Grounds for a possible drowning. Members of Firebaugh Police, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Madera County Sheriff’s Office and Cal Fire responded and began the search.

Deputies say a 15-year-old boy from San Jose, who was in Firebaugh visiting family, went into the river to retrieve a ball that went into the water. He did not resurface after he was seen going into the water; deputies say he did not know how to swim nor was he wearing a life jacket.

Sheriff’s officials have not yet confirmed that the person found in the river was the missing teenager. The identity of the victim has not been officially released.

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