The search for 36-year-old Filipino American James Bawayan came to a heartbreaking end after his body was discovered near Hobo Campground in the Kern River, several days after he went missing during a camping trip.
Authorities from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Bawayan’s body was found with the help of search and rescue teams. The coroner’s office has initiated an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
Bawayan, a resident of Chino Hills, had been enjoying a weekend getaway with family and friends when he jumped from a rock into the river near Black Gulch on July 12. It was a familiar ritual, according to his cousin Karla Bacayan, as the group had frequented the same campsite for years.
“He has done this multiple times, and the current always took him back to the campsite lagoon,” Bacayan told ABC7. “Unfortunately, this time the current took him under.”
As hope dimmed over several days without any sign of him, loved ones joined the authorities in what became a recovery mission. Bawayan’s disappearance is another grim reminder of the dangers posed by the Kern River, especially during the summer season.
Sgt. Rodney Jones of the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue division noted that fatalities on the river have increased over the years. “If you look at the numbers over 10 years, the average was about six a year. So, we’re getting worse,” he told SJV Water.
The Kern River, known for its natural beauty and adventure sports, stretches 165 miles from Mount Whitney through the Sierra Nevada, attracting rafters and kayakers alike. But beneath its scenic surface lies a powerful and unpredictable current that has tragically claimed numerous lives.
