Two teenage brothers, Wesley and Andruw Cornett, have been missing for over a week after their kayaks capsized during a duck hunting accident at Thermalito Afterbay, California. Their case has drawn the attention of not just local authorities but also the heartbroken community.
On December 14, just before 8:30 AM, the brothers, aged 17 and 19 respectively, were on what began as just another day of adventure, searching for ducks. Suddenly, the tranquility turned tragic when Wesley’s kayak overturned. Andruw, who was with him, called 911 to report the incident. He noted he could see his brother swimming nearby but told dispatchers he planned to jump in after him. Tragically, neither boy was wearing life jackets. Search efforts began immediately, but the brothers vanished from sight.
The Butte County Sheriff's Office received the emergency call around 8:30 AM, and the first responders arrived within minutes. They found Wesley's kayak but could not locate the teenagers. Andruw warned authorities multiple times before attempting to enter the water, but the situation quickly spiraled out of control. Weeds towering as high as 10 feet and frigid temperatures made the search even more challenging at the 4,300-acre Thermalito Afterbay.
By midday, about 20 minutes after the initial call, search and rescue teams found Andruw's pants and Wesley's wallet, which contained his phone. Unfortunately, these discoveries were bittersweet; they signaled the grim reality of the situation. Trevor Skaggs, with the Sheriff Office’s search and rescue, noted, "Thousands of acres have been searched by boat, by ground, and by raft.”
After nearly 10 days of tireless searching involving over 280 team members from 21 different agencies, authorities announced they would scale back operations. The Sheriff’s Office stated, “At this point, we have exhausted efforts with divers and sonar technology and will shift the focus to a continuous limited search.” This entails methods such as aircraft, boats, drones, on-shore vehicles, and K9 units to aid the search.
The haunting reality began to set in for their mother, April Clark, who has been vocal about her devastating experience. “Day 10 I’m so lost and broken and still can’t wrap my mind around this all. I just want my babies home,” she wrote on social media. Clark called her son Andruw “a hero” for his protective instincts during the incident. She expressed her sorrow and heartbreak over the possibility of her sons' fate, sharing her anguish with the world on platforms like Facebook and GoFundMe, where she is raising funds to assist with the search and potential memorials.
Clark recollected, “The Sheriff is saying this is now a search and recovery, so I will have to also plan to lay my two boys to rest.” This devastating admission has reverberated through the community, drawing attention to how the tragedy unfolded for this family torn apart unexpectedly.
Both brothers were well-known and loved, with the local community rallying around their family. They’ve joined search efforts, walking along the shores, hoping for any sign of the missing youths. "Please keep praying everyone and if you can come out walking or you have a boat to search, please come out and help find my babies," Clark urged fellow community members.
Numerous searches have taken place across the waters of the Thermalito Afterbay, with families, friends, and volunteers bravely stepping up to honor the Cornett brothers. Even with the limitations faced by search teams, the spirit of community and family resilience persists, passionate about finding Wesley and Andruw.
The haunting echo of silence from the waters is matched only by the desperate hope from their family. April Clark shared, “This is hard for me to write as I’m beyond broken... if you can please find it in your heart to donate and help our family.” Her words serve as both a call to action and expression of grief, capturing the essence of this tragic narrative.
Authorities will continue to pursue all leads and methods of searching; meanwhile, the spotlight remains on the family as they navigate this harrowing chapter of sorrow and hope. The enormity of this experience for the Cornett family weighs heavily on their hearts and minds, reminding us all of life's fragility.
