Body of Los Banos teen found in aqueduct after crash in Stanislaus County

LOS BANOS, Calif. (KFSN) -- Authorities have recovered the body of a Los Banos teenager after a deadly crash in Stanislaus County.

15-year-old Aaron Ramirez was traveling with his father, Raul Ramirez, last Tuesday, August 5, when their SUV veered off northbound Interstate 5 and plunged into the California Aqueduct.

The two were reportedly en route to pick up a car.

Family members believe Raul suffered a heart attack behind the wheel.

A dive team later recovered his body from inside the submerged vehicle, but it took several days and a search to find the teen.

His body was discovered early Friday morning near canal gates south of Sperry Avenue, about a mile and a half from the crash site.

Action News spoke with the family over the weekend.

"Aaron was one of those rare kids whose passion for learning and for wanting to understand how everything worked made him incredibly talented," says cousin Angel Alvarez. "Like my brother was saying, those memories of being at the campfire and the holidays and him at that age just singing in front of the whole family were something rare, especially for a teenager."

The family set up a GoFundMe page to help pay funeral expenses for the father and son.

They also expressed sincere gratitude to the community for helping to bring Aaron's body home.