Valley Springs, CA… Last Night at 7:20 p.m. Calaveras County Sheriff’s Dive Team was able to locate and recover the body of the 14-year-old boy who disappeared in the Lake Camanche water yesterday evening in front of family members. The mother and father were allowed to say goodbye to their son.

Additionally, extended family members were allowed to say goodbye to the child.

I want to say THANK YOU to the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Dive Team for locating and recovering the child this evening. A scorching hot day! I think 103 degrees?

Thank you to my firefighters last night. They pulled up to the incident and put their water fins and face masks on, immediately jumped into the water, and started searching for the missing child approximately 200 feet out in the lake.

Additionally, I want to thank our Fire Chaplin, Dick Brown, for being with the family during this difficult time. He is a true gift from God.
Thank you to our Fire Support Team for providing lunch today to all First Responders and East Bay Mud for allowing the family to stay in cabins overnight.

Thank you to my firefighters today for standing by at the Lake watching over the Divers and family. A long hot day!

I am so grateful for all of our First Responders and our great relationship with the Sheriff’s Department’s Officers and EBMUD Rangers.

There were so many moving parts last night and today. All of us (First Responders) hurt for the family. Most of us have children and it is so difficult on this type of incident.

We all send our sincere condolences to the family.

May the young boy R.I.P.

Richard Dickinson
Fire Chief