BARSTOW, Calif. — A search was underway for a 2-year-old boy who was swept away by flood waters in the Barstow, California area.
The boy's family says Xavier Padilla was swept away around 6:30 p.m. local time Thursday while in the car with his father.
We're told the father tried to get the toddler to safety but the current was too strong and he lost him in the river.
The boy's father was rescued and taken to the hospital, and has since been released.
"He's devastated," said Carolyn Tackett, the boy's grandmother, referring to Xavier's father. "We're all devastated."
"Yesterday we had a funeral for my mom," Tackett said in an interview near the scene where the car was found. "My son drove home with my grandson. I guess the road was — something happened in the road. All I know is that my son's car ended up — the bumper's down here, near the bridge.
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"My son got out the car, tried to get out the car — he doesn't know how to swim," she said. "He got my grandson out. My son went under. Now my grandson's missing."
Xavier's aunt, Leanna, told our sister station, ABC7 Eyewitness News in Los Angeles, police suspended the official search until daylight Friday.
"We have a bunch of volunteers out here who are still looking," she said. "If you guys can, if you live in the area, if you have bright lights… anything that can help us look through the dirt, the mud – anything to help us look for him and find him, we greatly appreciate it."
Xavier was last seen with black pants and shirt, as well as black and white Nike shoes.
He is about 46 inches tall, weighs about 28 pounds with light brown curly hair. He also has autism and is nonverbal.
The video in the player above is from a previous report.
