2-year-old’s body recovered from car in Green River

AUBURN, Wash. – The body of a 2-year-old boy was recovered from a car that plunged into a rain-swollen river south of Seattle, but a 13-year-old boy remained missing.

Divers and workers on shore were able to recover the silver Volkswagen Beetle from the Green River on Tuesday afternoon, more than three days after it went into the water Friday, said King County sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. John Urquhart.

Urquhart said the body of 2-year-old Hunter Beaupre was inside the car. The body of 13-year-old Austin Fuda is still missing. Searchers immediately began a search for his body.

“We’re in the river in boats looking for the other victim,” Urquhart said.

Since Friday, high water and strong currents prevented crews from securing the vehicle. On Tuesday, they spent nearly seven hours trying to recover the car.

Recent rains raised river levels across Western Washington, and more rain in the forecast that could make them swell again led urgency to the recovery effort.

“It was very difficult to get a line on that car, the river was still running pretty fast,” Urquhart said.

Last Friday, the two boys were riding with a 16-year-old girl who apparently lost control of the car as she drove on a road parallel to the river. The girl was able to get out of the car.

Authorities were still investigating the cause of the accident.