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AMERICAN FORK CANYON — Rescue crews in American Fork Canyon spent Wednesday evening looking for an 8-year-old boy who fell into the river. Just before 10 p.m., they found him and pulled him out.
By all indications, the boy was probably in the water at least two hours before he was recovered. Rescuers immediately began attempting to resuscitate him. Information on his condition has not been released.
Officials from the Utah County Sheriff's Office say the boy fell into the fast-moving American Fork River in an area of the canyon known as the North Fork Turn.
There is some discrepancy as to how long it took for the 911 call to be made because there is no cell phone coverage in the canyon. But when the call came in from the Timpanogos visitors' center, search and rescue teams immediately went up in the river looking for the boy.
Sheriff's deputies say the boy was with family members in a campground when he fell in. His mother apparently also went into the river, but it's unclear right now whether she fell in as well or if she went in trying to rescue him.
The mother was safely pulled out of the water a short time later. As of 10 p.m., she was being treated at a local hospital.
Deputies say someone at a campground downstream did see the boy go by in the fast-moving water, but was unable to rescue him.
Searchers set up all along the river looking for the boy at certain locations between where he fell in and at the mouth of American Fork Canyon. A medical helicopter also helped to search from the air.
The boy was found after crews brought lights in to assist in the search. He has since been transported to a local hospital.
Email: spenrod@ksl.com
