Three bodies of missing Valencia, California family found in California river

Three bodies of a family-of-four who vanished during a spring break road trip in early April have been found in a flooded California river. 

The Thottapilly family from Valencia, California went missing in Mendocino County when witnesses say they saw the family’s car drive off an embankment near the river. 

The bodies of father Sandeep Thottapilly, 41, and his daughter Saachi, nine, were recovered from the family’s submerged SUV in Eel River in Leggett, California on Monday, police said.

On Friday the body of wife Soumya Thottapilly, 38, was found and recovered from the river seven miles away from the car. 

Three of the four bodies of missing Thottapilly family of Valencia, California have been recovered from the flooded Eel River. The bodies of father Sandeep Thottapilly, 41, and his daughter Saachi, nine, were recovered Monday

A massive search crew of 70 people scoured the river for the family. On Sunday searchers smelled gas which led them to find the family's submerged SUV six feet under water

A massive search crew of 70 people scoured the river for the family. On Sunday searchers smelled gas which led them to find the family’s submerged SUV six feet under water

The bodies of the father and daughter were found Monday. The body of mother Soumya Thottapilly, 38, was found seven miles away on Friday

The bodies of the father and daughter were found Monday. The body of mother Soumya Thottapilly, 38, was found seven miles away on Friday

The body of the 12-year-old boy Siddhant is yet to be found as police continue their search

The body of the 12-year-old boy Siddhant is yet to be found as police continue their search

The body of 12-year-old son Siddhant is still missing and police are still searching for the child believed to have been with the family when they went missing. 

The car was found at 11:30am on Sunday after searchers smelled gasoline in the water half a mile north of where the family reportedly drove off an embankment near the river, according to Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.

The vehicle was found six feet under water and covered in sediment. A team of 21 rescue workers, two jet ski teams, two boat teams and kayaks were used to remove the car. 

By 6:30pm Monday the vehicle was partially removed from the water and the bodies were removed.

Autopsies will be performed Tuesday to determine cause of death, according to KTLA.  

The family had left Portland, Oregon on March 30 with a scheduled stop in San Jose on April 6 to visit family before going on to their home in Valencia.

The family went missing during a spring break road trip from Portland, Oregon to their home in Valencia. They were scheduled to stop at a relative's house in San Jose on April 6 but never showed up

The family went missing during a spring break road trip from Portland, Oregon to their home in Valencia. They were scheduled to stop at a relative’s house in San Jose on April 6 but never showed up

Sandeep's father posted a message on Twitter to India's minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj asking her to step in and help

Sandeep’s father posted a message on Twitter to India’s minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj asking her to step in and help

Swaraj tweeted that she was 'in constant touch' with the Consulate in San Francisco and would help find out what happened 

Swaraj tweeted that she was ‘in constant touch’ with the Consulate in San Francisco and would help find out what happened 

They were reported missing on April 8 when they failed to reach their relative’s home. They were last heard from on April 5.

They disappeared in Mendocino County with witnesses saying they saw an SUV that matched a description of theirs – a 2016 Maroon Honda Pilot with a California license plate of 7MMX13B – go off an embankment toward the river, according to KTLA. 

More than 70 people conducted the search and rescue. 

Police said divers searched the car underwater and felt what they believed was a person before launching the effort to remove the SUV.

Before the discovery of the bodies, searchers found items in the river from a vehicle’s interior and other personal items.

Relatives confirmed to police that those items were the Thottapilly’s belongings.  

Sandeep’s father has posted several messages on social media pleading for help in locating his family after they disappeared without a trace. 

In a post on Twitter, ‎Babu Subramaniam Thottapilly‎ asked India’s minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj to step in and help.

Witnesses said they saw the family's maroon Honda SUV, pictured above, heading off an embankment near the river in Mendocino County

Witnesses said they saw the family’s maroon Honda SUV, pictured above, heading off an embankment near the river in Mendocino County

The body of the son, left, is yet to be found. Police will continue to search for the body

The body of the son, left, is yet to be found. Police will continue to search for the body

‘Respected Sushma Swaraj ji, I am a senior citizen and resident of Surat, Gujarat. My son Sandeep Thottapilly is residing in California, USA. He and his family are reported missing since last Thursday. Would request your good office to take up this matter with concerned authorities in USA and help find my son and his family as soon as possible,’ he wrote. 

Swaraj tweeted that she was ‘in constant touch’ with the Consulate in San Francisco. 

‘They are coordinating with the police. Rest assured. We will spare no effort,’ she wrote.

The worried father also posted a Facebook message asking Sandeep’s employer, Union Bank, to assist in finding the family. Babu said his son is the vice president of the bank. 

Neighbors described the family as friendly and outgoing. 

‘They were such a nice family. They were very friendly, very outgoing. We always saw them walking up and down the street. They would ride scooters up and down the street and the grandparents would come to town,’ a neighbor said of the family to KTLA. 

Mendocino County coast is the same area where the Hart family’s SUV plunged off an ocean bluff, killing Jennifer and Sarah Hart, both 39, and their six adopted children.

Three children remain – who were believed to also be in the crashed vehicle – are still missing.
     



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