Kern River rescue efforts

It’s now day three in the search for a missing child who KSCO said was swept away in the Kern River near Keysville Road. An adult family friend jumped into the river for rescue but was unable to save the child.

[chapin]

I was the adult that jumped in after Jemih On sat.  I'm just sad. I tried everything the river dragged us for a mile into 40 feet deep waters and it was a gulch and there was no waters edge. All I could see was walls of tall rocks. No one could reach us by foot even if they tried.  It was my nephew.  I  jumped in after. I almost drowned trying to save him. I was the last one to see him alive. I feel heart broken. I tried so hard to save him. But the current was going so fast and I was wearing sweat pants and shoes. No one was dressed for the water. Jemih walked into the river despite me asking him not to go in that part of the water. We were hiking trying to find the river. Everyone was wearing winter clothes. Jemih, I called, come out from the water for the 3rd time. As he attempted to turn back he lost his footing and I jumped right in. I didn't hesitate because I'm a good swimmer. I was certain I could save him. I have been swimming in this river since I was a kid. I grabbed him with both arms and began pedalling with my feet as fast and hard as I could. Yelling at him to calm down and to breathe. To catch his breath. i was managing to keep our heads above the water, suddenly my pants were pulled down to my ankles by the water current below. Have you ever tried to take your pants off with shoes still on?   Well the ankle part of the pants was elastic and it hugged my ankles. My legs were entangled in my pants and shoes. I could no longer pedal and I began sinking. I had to let him go to free myself. I struggled  under water to get my pants off because I was losing sight of him and I didn't want to panic. I didn't feel any rocks at my feet and the waters were dark with green algea and deep because I didn't see a bottom.  I managed to get one leg free and I darted toward him again. Tired and out of breath I came back out of the water and I managed to reach him 4 more times but he was so scared and he was fighting me and crawling on top of me each time. He was drowning us both. I almost didn't make it. It became a struggle between saving his life and saving my own. I tried throwing him to the waters edge yelling at him to catch his breath and to grab a rock. But he just kept drowning in front of me. I was tired and I grabbed him again. I tried leaning back and letting the water just float me but when I grabbed him  he climbed back on top of me and pushed me under again. Now I'm certain that we are both in danger now. At this point I am no longer the same person I was when I jumped in.  I yelled out to Jehovah asking him to intervene. Asking him to help us.  To help save him. I'm just angry I tried everything I could think of but the river dragged us for a mile. I walked the river's edge both sun and monday reaching the highway in search for his body. i remember  I managed to grab a rock and screamed as loud as I could for a long time like a mad man who lost his mind  I sat there screaming. because I couldn't believe I was watching him float away and continue drowning. It broke me because I couldn't go on any more. I screamed to jehovah to please intervene and help me save him. I mentally wanted to jump back in but I physically couldn't.  I yelled and yelled until search and rescue found me 40 min later passed out and pale half naked holding on to a rock. The experience was far worse than I could describe

[giselesalas]

oh no sorry to hear that. I go to this river but always wear a life vest.