A 13-year-old boy drowned Saturday evening after being swept away by the current while swimming in the Merced River near Cressey Bridge, according to the Merced County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responded to a report of a drowning at about 7:30 p.m. and learned the juvenile had been swimming with family when he began struggling in the swift-moving current. Witnesses told deputies they saw the boy go underwater and he did not resurface.

The sheriff’s Sable 6 helicopter began searching the area while the Dive Rescue and Recovery Team responded. Using a remotely operated vehicle, the dive team located the juvenile about 18 feet underwater. Divers recovered the boy, who was pronounced dead and transported to the Merced County Coroner’s Office for further examination.

The sheriff’s office said the victim’s identity will not be released because of his age and out of respect for his family.

Authorities noted the drowning occurred in the same area where an adult man drowned under similar circumstances at the end of July 2025. The sheriff’s office also said deputies and the Sable 5 helicopter rescued four people from the Merced River near Snelling Park on July 7 after their raft became stuck on an object in the river.

The incident remains under investigation.

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