Wednesday, 12 August 2026, 9:45
On Saturday afternoon, July 18, 2026, deputies responded to Don Pedro Reservoir, a popular recreation spot in the Sierra foothills south of Sonora, after receiving a 911 call about a missing 3-year-old girl at Fleming Meadows Lagoon.
The Sheriff's Office has not identified the girl or her family, but said she was from Modesto.
According to the sheriff's office, the initial 911 call reported that the missing girl may have drowned.
As they responded, additional callers reported that the child had been found and that CPR was underway.
Members of the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office Boat Patrol, already on the lake, took over lifesaving efforts from bystanders. Despite continued CPR and medical care, the girl was pronounced dead at the scene.
The sheriff's office said the 911 call was received around 3:34 p.m. that afternoon, and deputies were dispatched at that time. Firefighters and paramedics arrived to assist the Boat Patrol, which was conducting routine patrols on the lake. Despite the continued lifesaving efforts, the girl was pronounced dead before she could be airlifted to a hospital.
The initial details of the incident and the request for public assistance were shared via a Sheriff's Office social media post.
The Boat Patrol was eventually relieved by medics.
A GoFundMe page for the family, later removed, described the incident as a family camping trip. It had raised more than $13,000 before being taken down, according to internet archives. "What was meant to be a joyful family camping trip became an unimaginable nightmare that no parent, sibling, or grandparent should ever have to endure," the page read.
Sheriff David Vasquez confirmed the case is now a homicide investigation. At a Tuesday Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors meeting, he said: "That is an active investigation right now. We are treating it as a homicide."
Vasquez added: "We don't have all of the logistics and all this information from all the people who are around there. We're still gathering that information, which is a common protocol for us to do whenever there's a death involving a child." He also acknowledged criticism on social media: "We saw a lot of narratives on social media. Folks are quick to judge, and emotions run high whenever we talk about things that seem to be preventable. Trust that your sheriff's office will conduct a thorough investigation, and when the time is appropriate, we will release what is applicable to release to the public."
Vasquez said deputies are still gathering witness statements, but they are treating the case as a homicide "until we know otherwise."
Vasquez also addressed concerns about the rescue timeline. "The deputy sheriff, the firefighters, and the medics responded to that call and at one point had to hold a lifeless child in their arms after performing CPR. I've been there, done that, and I know what it's like to be defeated. If there's anybody out there that has a question about how we responded to that, I know there was some feedback on social media and also some calls about the timelines. I know that deputy sheriffs, whenever there is a call for help coming from the community, they're unwavering in their response."
The Sheriff's Office released a photo showing a blue raft surrounded by people in the lagoon near the time of the incident. Investigators believe the girl was on that raft before she died and are asking anyone with photos or video showing the child on a raft or boat to come forward.
The sheriff's office also asked anyone who may have witnessed the child before she was pulled from the water, and specifically requested photos or videos showing the child on a raft or boat with other children before the incident.
Investigators also asked anyone with photos or videos taken before, during, or after the incident to share them.
In a Friday update, the Sheriff's Office said the case had been reclassified but that no arrests had been made. Additional details are being withheld while the investigation continues.
Don Pedro Reservoir sits in Tuolumne County, about 30 miles east of Modesto and south of Sonora. It is a heavily used recreation area for boating, swimming and camping. The incident at Fleming Meadows Lagoon has shaken the surrounding communities.
Vasquez said: "It really shook the pillars of this entire community." The victim's hometown, Modesto, is in neighboring Stanislaus County, but the investigation is centered in Tuolumne County, where the Sheriff's Office is leading the case.
Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death among young children in California, especially during summer months when families head to lakes and rivers. Reclassifying a child's drowning death as a homicide is uncommon and indicates investigators suspect foul play.
The investigation remains active. The Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information, photos or video from July 18, 2026 at Fleming Meadows Lagoon to call 209-694-2904. Sheriff Vasquez said more information will be released "when the time is appropriate."
