BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The Kern County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed the rescue mission for the 9-year-old boy who got swept away in the Kern River has been recategorized as a recovery mission.

KCSO confirmed they no longer expect to find the boy alive if and when his body is found.

Officials said the boy and a group of other children were in the water Saturday afternoon, near the Hog Eye Gulch area in Keyesville. 

There was an adult supervising the kids, but the boy slipped, fell, and was swept away. The adult tried to rescue the boy, but later needed to be rescued himself, according to KCSO.

Child, 9, lost in Kern River still not found

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — As of 2:34 p.m. Monday, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office said they have still not found the 9-year-old who got lost in the Kern River in Keysville on Saturday afternoon.

Officials said they received a call around 2:18 p.m. The child had been in the water for about 20 minutes before KCSO was notified, according to KCSO.

Several others went into the river in knee to calf-deep water under the supervision of an adult family friend, according to KCSO.

KCSO said the child slipped and fell into the river and the family friend jumped in after him.

The child has not been located. The search is ongoing.

Search and rescue suspends search for 9-year-old missing in Kern River, will resume Monday

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Kern County search and rescue teams are looking for a 9-year-old that got lost in river waters in Keysville on Saturday afternoon. Darkness suspended their search for a second day on Sunday.

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office said deputies got a call for a 9-year-old boy that was lost in the river in the Hogeye Gulch area in Keysville on April 2 at around 2:30 p.m.

It wasn’t immediately clear how the boy got into the water, but a KCSO spokesperson said family members went into the water to try and rescue the child. One adult relative needed to be rescued themselves.

Video from the scene provided by independent videographers Bravo Street Media showed search and rescue teams setting up to enter the water with rafts. A Kern County Fire Department helicopter was also used in the search.

Search and rescue teams suspended their search due to darkness and will resume their search early Monday morning.