2-year-old boy with autism found dead after California flash flood sweeps away car, city says

BARSTOW, Calif. -- A tragic update aft a 2-year-old lad was swept distant by flood waters successful the Barstow, California area.

The boy's household says Xavier Padilla Aguilera was swept distant astir 6:30 p.m. section clip Thursday on Main Street portion successful the car with his father, 26-year-old Brandon Padilla Aguilera

"He's devastated," said Carolyn Tackett, the boy's grandmother, referring to Xavier's father. "We're each devastated.

A hunt was underway for a 2-year-old lad who was swept distant by flood waters successful the Barstow, Calif., area, connected Sept. 19, 2025.

The video successful the subordinate supra is from a erstwhile report.

City officials confirmed Xavier was recovered dormant connected Friday afternoon.

"Our hearts spell retired to the household and loved ones during this unimaginably hard time. We widen our deepest condolences to those affected by this tragedy," a metropolis spokesperson said.

He was recovered astatine astir 2:44pm successful the San Bernardino County Flood Control transmission southbound of the Mojave River, officials said.

"Yesterday we had a ceremonial for my mom," Carolyn Tackett, the boy's grandmother, said successful an interrogation adjacent the country wherever the car was found. "My lad drove location with my grandson. I conjecture the roadworthy was -- thing happened successful the road. All I cognize is that my son's car ended up -- the bumper's down here, adjacent the bridge.

Tackett said her lad "got retired the car, tried to get retired the car -- helium doesn't cognize however to swim. He got my grandson out. My lad went under. Now my grandson's missing."

As constabulary officers and firefighters were responding to the scene, "it was reported that the occupants had been separated from the conveyance and were continuing to question northbound with the floodwaters," according to Barstow police. "Brandon Aguilera was located connected an land that had been created by the floodwaters."

He was rescued by Barstow firefighters and taken to the hospital, and has since been released.

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"His vitals were unstable, his somesthesia wasn't stable," Xavier's aunt, Leanna, told our sister station, ABC7 Eyewitness News successful Los Angeles, referring to the boy's father. "He had h2o successful his lungs. He had cuts and bruises each implicit his legs."

Tackett said her lad was "completely swollen. He has an corruption from the water, and I'm conscionable going to support him successful prayers."

Leanna said constabulary suspended the authoritative hunt until daylight Friday morning. Shortly earlier 8:30 a.m. Friday, Barstow constabulary confirmed the hunt was ongoing.

"We person a clump of volunteers retired present who are inactive looking," she said. "If you guys can, if you unrecorded successful the area, if you person agleam lights... thing that tin assistance america look done the dirt, the mud - thing to assistance america look for him and find him, we greatly admit it."

Xavier was past seen with achromatic pants and shirt, arsenic good arsenic achromatic and achromatic Nike shoes.

He is astir 46 inches tall, weighs astir 28 pounds with airy brownish curly hair. He besides has autism and is nonverbal.

"I don't adjacent similar Barstow but contiguous I emotion Barstow," Tackett said. "Because everybody's that's retired present close present is each from Barstow, trying to assistance maine look for my grandson. They've been retired present each night."