Teen who drowned in Fresno County waterway ID’d by coroner. Sheriff offers safety tips

A 15-year-old San Jose boy recovered from the San Joaquin River after drowning was identified Tuesday by the Fresno County Coroner’s Office.

Nixon Quinonez Guerra was visiting family in the Firebaugh area when he went into the San Joaquin River to chase a ball before disappearing on Sunday, according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.

Quinonez Guerra did not know how to swim and was not wearing a life jacket.

The Firebaugh Police Department got a call about 4:30 p.m. Sunday about the missing teen, who did not resurface from the water near 11th and Q streets, behind the Firebaugh Rodeo Grounds, according to deputies.

The teen’s body was discovered about 2 p.m. Monday in the river, deputies said.

The latest drowning marks the eighth of 2024, the sheriff’s office said. Three people have died in the waters of the San Joaquin River, one was in Shaver Lake, one in Millerton Lake, two in other ponds and one more in a canal, the office said Monday.

The sheriff’s office offered several tips for staying safe around waterways as the high temperatures make them more enticing to visitors.

• Stay out of the water if you do not know how to swim.
• Wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket, and make sure it is fully secured and fits the properly.
• Parents should watch their children at all times.
• Do not mix alcohol and swimming. Alcohol causes swimmers to fatigue faster than normal and can create dangerous situations.
• Understand that when it’s hot outside you will get tired faster than usual.
• Respect the water. The temperature of the water remains cold and the current is often stronger than it appears. There can be debris in the water, which is difficult to see and may cause hazardous situations for swimmers.
• Be careful of the mud on the bottom of lakes and rivers, it’s easy to sink in some spots and get your feet stuck. Also, use your feet to feel for drop off spots. River and lake bottoms can dramatically change from shallow to deep in a short distance.

Sign Up for Local Breaking News