Bodies of 4-year-old and 8-year-old now recovered after falling into Kings River

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Crews have found the body of the four-year-old boy who was swept away in the Kings River, nearly a day after his eight-year-old sister's body was recovered.

Officials say the call about the children getting lost in the water came in around 2 p.m. on Sunday.

A woman, her 8-year-old daughter, 4-year-old son, and an adult friend entered the river at the wheelchair-accessible fishing spot about a mile from Pine Flat Dam.

The group was trying to make their way out to a specific rock to climb on when the current carried the kids away.

Authorities say neither was wearing life jackets.

"From what I understand, it was pretty soon after they arrived at the river that this happened. So it was just like, as they were getting to the location, where they wanted to picnic or set up is when the kids fell in," Sgt. Hamilton said.

Within an hour search and rescue found the young girl, but she did not survive.

Monday morning, the search continued for her 4-year-old brother.

About 40 search and rescue personnel, including members of Cal Fire Fresno County and Fresno City firefighters, were in and around the water.

At about 10:30 a.m., and about two miles away from where he was last seen, the 4-year-old's body was pulled out of the water.

The sheriff's office reminds everyone that all rivers in Fresno County are closed for recreational use because of the high water levels and hazardous conditions.

"People don't realize how powerful water is, and they don't give it the respect that it deserves and you get stuck in situations like that - and it's just not worth it," Fresno County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Sergeant Matthew Hamilton said.

Parks along the river have been roped off and signs, some in multiple languages, have been posted along the river and at road entrances. That includes the entrance where the family was Sunday.

"Hopefully this is a lesson and people really take warning and really take this seriously that it's no joke, that we can't have people recreating around the water because of how dangerous it is," Sgt. Hamilton said.

If you are caught in a closed river, you can face a $225 fine.

In this case, it's unknown if the adults will face any criminal charges.

That all remains under investigation by the sheriff's office.

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