Relatives of a 2-year-old boy are urgently searching for him after he went missing when his family’s car was swept away by floodwaters in Barstow, California.
Family members said Brandon Padilla was driving with his toddler son on the evening of Thursday, Sept. 18. While trying to cross a flooded section of Main Street, the car was carried away by the water, according to Fox affiliate KTTV, CW affiliate KTLA, ABC affiliate KABC, and Victor Valley News.
Brandon was rescued and taken to a hospital, but his son, identified as Xavier, is still missing.
Leeanna Kay, who says she is Xavier’s aunt, shared a plea for help on Facebook on Friday, Sept. 19, along with photos of him.
“Please help us bring him home! We need every prayer and every person available to help us look! He is two years old and needs you,” Kay wrote.
She added, “Please help us! I’m begging everyone available to help our family. We need everyone who can search, we need everyone who can pray — we need all the help, please.”
The search Thursday evening involved several agencies, including San Bernardino County Fire, Barstow Fire Department, and the California Highway Patrol, Victor Valley News reported.
Kay told KABC that police paused the search until early Friday morning.
“We have a bunch of volunteers out here who are still looking,” Kay said. “If you live in the area and have bright lights or anything to help search through dirt and mud, we greatly appreciate it.”
She also told KTTV that Xavier has non-verbal autism and stressed, “We need all the help we can get.”
In another Facebook update Friday morning, Kay said the search was ongoing.
“He’s the sweetest baby and has been missing since around 6:40 p.m.! Please help us, we are worried sick and want him home! If you can help by looking, praying, or organizing more search parties, we need all the help!” she wrote.
Xavier is described as nearly 4 feet tall and weighing 28 pounds, with curly brown hair. He was last seen wearing a black shirt and pants with black-and-white Nike shoes.
Family members said Xavier had recently celebrated his birthday on Monday, Sept. 15, Victor Valley News reported.
The incident happened after Tropical Storm Mario affected Southern California.
In a separate social media post, Kay wrote: “Dear Heavenly Father, I pray to you now to ask that you grant our family this miracle. We just laid our grandma to rest. Please hear our prayers. We need to find my nephew. Please help us find him safe and bring him home.”
