Search for missing Merced County father shuts down

The Merced County Sheriff's Office has suspended the search on the Merced River for the 36-year-old man who was swept away on Wednesday.

Jose Castaneda, a 35-year-old Stevinson man, disappeared into the fast-moving waters of the Merced River around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday after scrambling to save his 3-year-old daughter, who’d been swept away by a strong current while swimming at Hagaman Park. The girl’s mother, Faviola Ochoa, also went into the water after the child. Ochoa and the girl were rescued, but there’s been no sign of Castaneda for nearly 24 hours.

Strong, fast currents are carrying large amounts of debris down the river, posing a huge challenge for dive-team deputies, Deputy Daryl Allen said.

The sheriff's office will resume the search tomorrow by boat at a private property with river access downstream from Hagaman Park, Deputy Daryl Allen said.

The sheriff's office plans to ask the county to shut down Hagaman Park to the public. At least 30 people showed up Thursday to swim despite the search and the sheriff's warning about the dangerous river.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

This story was originally published June 15, 2017 at 3:35 PM with the headline "Search for missing Merced County father shuts down."