A two‑year‑old boy was found dead Friday after his father’s car was swept off the road by floodwaters during storms in Barstow, California, triggering a roughly 20‑hour search.
The child, Xavier Padilla Aguilera, was separated from his father, 26‑year‑old Brandon Padilla Aguilera, around 7:14 p.m. Thursday when their vehicle was swept off Main Street during flooding, the Barstow Police Department said in a news release on Facebook.
Brandon was located on what had become a small flood‑created island. He was rescued by the Barstow Fire Department, and taken to Barstow Community Hospital.
According to his aunt Leanna, who spoke to ABC7 Eyewitness News in Los Angeles, Brandon arrived at the hospital with unstable vital signs, water in his lungs, multiple cuts and bruises, and swelling caused by a waterborne infection. He was treated and eventually released.
Meanwhile, multiple law enforcement agencies, as well as volunteers for the community, searched for Xavier, who was autistic and nonverbal, his family told KABC.
Xavier Padilla Aguilera, 2, had autism and was nonverbal, his family said (Facebook)
Xavier’s body was discovered Friday afternoon in the San Bernardino County Flood Control channel south of the Mojave River.
A photo released by police shows the car’s hood submerged in floodwaters after the vehicle carrying the father and son was swept away.
Brandon’s mother and Xavier’s grandmother, Carolyn Tackett, told KABC on Thursday that the toddler’s disappearance was especially heartbreaking as it happened while the family was already grieving the recent loss of a loved one.
“Yesterday we had a funeral for my mom,” Tackett said before Xavier’s body was found. “My son drove home with my grandson. I guess the road — something happened to the road. All I know is that my son’s car ended up with the bumpers down here under the bridge.”
Police said Brandon Padilla Aguilera’s vehicle was ‘swept off the roadway by floodwaters’ on Thursday night (Barstow Police Department)
In trying to rescue Xavier, Brandon, who does not know how to swim, managed to pull his son from the car before being pulled under by the waters, Tackett said.
The incident happened amid severe weather in Southern California, the remnants of Tropical Storm Mario, which brought extreme heat, heavy rain, and flash flooding to Southern California.
The storm triggered mudslides in San Bernardino and, by Thursday afternoon, had dumped several inches of rain across the region’s mountains and foothills. The intense rainfall created hazardous conditions that made it difficult for emergency responders to access.
The Barstow Police Department and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
