Body found near canal in rural Merced County

The Merced County Sheriff's Office is investigating a body found in rural Merced County on Friday morning.

A body was found in a canal near Arboleda Drive and Worden Drive.

The Merced County Coroner's Division is on scene.

Farm laborers working in an almond orchard reported the body about 6:30 a.m.

Detectives are investigating it as a suspicious death because of an abandoned car nearby.

The sheriff's office searched the area by plane for any other suspicious evidence and to clear the area.

Few details were immediately available. The investigation is ongoing.

This is a developing story.

This story was originally published September 1, 2017 at 8:54 AM with the headline "Body found near canal in rural Merced County."