Overview
- Emergency crews responded to reports of a swimmer in distress on the Stanislaus River at Caswell Memorial State Park and searched the water and shoreline after the person went under and did not resurface.
- Ripon Consolidated Fire crews were tied up fighting a vegetation fire, so the Manteca Fire Department handled the initial water emergency.
- The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office took command of the operation and used its boating safety unit and drone team to support the river and shoreline search.
- Officials and local reporting say searchers recovered a body and family members have identified the victim as a 17‑year‑old named Gabriel Santiago.
- The sheriff’s office is investigating the death and has not released full details about the circumstances, and the incident underscores hazards on the Stanislaus River and pressure on local emergency resources during concurrent calls.