Crews locate body of boy last seen swimming in Blue Earth River

Blue Earth County, Minn. (FOX 9) - UPDATE: The body of the missing 11-year-old boy was located just after noon Monday. The body was found about one mile away from where he was last seen. 

Monday, officials continued their search for a missing boy who was last seen in the river at Rapidan County Park in southern Minnesota outside Mankato.

The boy, identified at his family's request as 11-year-old Denilson Fidel Funes De Leon, was found just after noon Monday about a mile from where he was last seen on the Blue Earth River. 

According to the Blue Earth County Sheriff's Office, at about 5:49 p.m. Saturday, officials were dispatched to a missing 11-year-old boy, Funez, who was swimming in the river near a sandbar with other children and is believed to have been pulled into deeper water by the current.

Investigators say good Samaritans were able to save most of the children in the river before they realized the one boy was missing.

Investigators tell Fox 9 the children were being supervised by family at the riverside campground, and the boy was not wearing a life jacket.

Officials searched the area until sunset and resumed searching Sunday morning. The park is closed while the search continues.

Sunday, search crews from at least five different agencies returned to the river downstream from the Rapidan Dam. Dive teams and sonar equipment were used to try and locate the boy. Sunday officials said they are moving to a recovery mission rather than rescue operations.

“Assuming that all the information, that the child has gone underwater, this does switch to a recovery operation,” Capt. Paul Barta of the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office said.

Officials say the area of the river where the boy went missing is known for sharp drop-offs to 15’ to 18’ underwater.

The child’s family is requesting privacy at this time.