Two young children in California died on May 6 after they were swept down a fast-moving river after they spent the afternoon at the Thermun Flats Picnic Area.
The picnic area, which is located in San Bernadino County, sits above the banks of Mill Creek, which is a major tributary of the Santa Ana river.
The tragic incident occurred around 3 p.m. when the children’s mother took her 4-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son to the river near the picnic area, where they were playing close to the water, according to a press release by the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department.
The mother was attending to her son when her daughter was taken downstream. Attempts by the mother to find her young daughter were unsuccessful. She then returned to find her son also missing.
Paralyzed with fear, the mother believed her son also to have fallen into the rapid waters as she frantically searched the entire area without locating either of them.
The mother then hiked up to the picnic area where she asked another family for help locating her children, however, all attempts to find them did not yield any results, the sheriff’s office reported.
After contacting the authorities, deputies from the Yucaipa Station, Sheriff’s Air Rescue, and Mentone Station County Fire personnel, who were assisted by the U.S. Forest Service Rescue Crew and members of San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue, joined the search for the missing children shortly after 4 p.m.
After around half an hour, the 4-year-old was located near the river’s edge. Shortly after, the younger child was also located. Both children were taken to hospital, but extensive attempts to resuscitate them were unsuccessful, and both were pronounced dead.
The San Bernardino County coroner’s office is investigating to determine the children’s exact cause and manner of death.
The Sheriff’s office has not released the children and the mother’s identity as of May 8.
Police said that they do not suspect any foul play but are asking for any witnesses or people with additional information to step forward and contact Deputy Natalie Hanlin at Yucaipa Station on (909) 918-2305 referencing Case No. 042400386.
NTD has contacted San Bernardino County Sheriff’s for further information.
