2-year-old found dead after he and dad swept away by flood, California cops say

A 2-year-old boy missing for 20 hours after being swept away with his father by floodwaters has been found dead, California police reported.

The boy’s 26-year-old father was earlier rescued from an island created by the flood, Barstow police said in a news release. He was treated at a hospital and released.

The two were in a vehicle swept off a road into a wash at about 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, police said.

Floodwaters swept the two from their vehicle and they became separated, police said.

Officers and firefighters began looking for them and found the father on the island, police said.

The body of the boy, identified as Xavier Padilla Aguilera,was found in a flood control channel at about 2:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19,following a 20-hour search, police said.

Barstow is about a 115-mile drive northeast from Los Angeles.

This story was originally published September 21, 2025 at 11:00 AM with the headline "2-year-old found dead after he and dad swept away by flood, California cops say."