Investigators probe identity of deceased woman

Officials believe victim to be member of Valencia family that has been missing for more than a week

The body of a woman believed to be a member of a Valencia family missing in Northern California for more than a week was found by searchers Friday morning, seven miles downstream from where the family’s SUV was swept into a rushing river.

Mendocino County Sheriff Thomas Allman held a news conference Friday to announce the discovery—initially telling reporters the body was that of a child.

Missing since April 5 are the Thottapilly family: Sandeep, 42, father; Soumya, 38, mother; Siddhant, 12, their son; and 9-year-old Saachi, their daughter.

“Searchers located the deceased body of an adult female approximately seven miles north of the reported crash site—Eel River flows in a northern direction,” Allman said.

“The body was found on exposed terrain which appeared to have been covered by the Eel

River within the last few days as a result of a recent weather storm which brought heavy rain to the area,” he said.

Investigators said they are trying to make a

positive identification of the body pending the results of an autopsy scheduled to take place April 17.

Searchers, meanwhile, are continuing to look for the missing family members and their vehicle which is believed to still be submerged somewhere

in the Eel River.

For the last three days, after water levels dropped to a level considered safe enough for searchers to enter, an extensive search by rescuers representing many agencies has been underway to find the SUV.

On Wednesday, searchers found a hat belonging

to the father and a sweater worn by the little girl.

“The teams were unsuccessful in locating the vehicle or any occupants from the vehicle,” CHP Officer William Wunderlich wrote in his update posted on the CHP Facebook page.

“They were able to

locate numerous items that appeared to have come from a vehicle body and interior. Some of these items were consistent with a Honda vehicle… Several items have been positively identified, by family members, as belonging to the Thottapilly family,” he wrote.

Wunderlich wrote: “These items were of a personal nature and will not be described further at this time, but it does confirm the fact the vehicle that was seen going into the river was that of the Thottapilly family.”

The search continues.