Officials say Jacob Adams is still missing, but is presumed dead. He and his 10-year-old brother Andreas were caught in the strong current and swept away Wednesday afternoon while wading in the Merced River.
Andreas was pulled out about 150 yards downstream, but rescuers were unable to revive him. The boys' mother, Char, and older brother, Josh, suffered injuries trying to save them.
"To see the mother on the rocks, obviously injured from trying to rescue them, I can't imagine what she's going through," said Robert Finnegan, a witness.
The boys were part of a church camping trip with Calvary Chapel East Anaheim. It was part of an annual getaway that began Monday. According to the church, the Adams family decided to spend the day in Yosemite Valley, while most of the rest of the campers were at Bass Lake for the day.
Several members of the family, like many visitors, were wading in the river when the two boys were suddenly swept downstream.
In a statement, Pastor Bob Kopeny said, "The Adams family and Calvary Chapel East Anaheim have experienced a double tragic loss. We are asking for prayers for Jacob to be found soon so the family can have some measure of closure and focus on beginning to heal both physically and emotionally."
A fund has been set up for the Adams family. For more information, visit http://cc-ea.org/israel-tour/.
