Authorities investigating after body recovered from canal in Merced County

Authorities are investigating after a body was recovered from a Merced County canal on Wednesday, according to the Merced County Sheriff’s Office.

At about 7:30 a.m., deputies responded the area of Highway 59 and Reilly Road for a report of a possible body in a canal, according to Deputy Michael Domingue. Detectives called to the scene the body in the canal on a section of private property used as agricultural land and the body was recovered by the Merced County Sheriff’s Office dive team.

The age and gender of the deceased and cause of death has not yet been determined, Domingue said.

The death is under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Merced County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Bureau at 209-385-7472.