Search's failure is letdown

Search crews paid close attention to the Redwood Road bridge, the one area they were not able to thoroughly search during the first operation. The water level in the canal has dropped about 1 1/2 feet from three weeks ago, Snyder said. Because of that, crews had enough room under the bridge Thursday to drop a tripod-shaped sonar into the water.

The canal is 18 feet deep in some areas. The middle layer of water has a swift current, according to law enforcers. There was speculation that Trejon may have been carried further downstream than originally thought.

To show how strong the current was, Snyder noted that two searchers had to be rescued themselves Thursday when the swift water capsized their canoe.

Investigators believe the small boy, who weighed only 45 pounds, was swept away and may have become caught in underwater debris.

"We think he's still in the canal," Snyder said.

Yellow police tape surrounded the canal banks, keeping back media, spectators and people who randomly showed up hoping to search. Law enforcers were not allowing anyone except authorized personnel to look for Trejon due to water safety concerns.

Raul Renoba and a friend saw the search on TV and went down to the canal to offer help.

"We don't know (Trejon). We just feel bad. It's just a kid," Renoba said. "It's really sad."

The search was officially called off shortly after 3 p.m., a little more than eight hours after it started. Despite heavy rain that fell about the same time, weather did not play a factor in the decision, Snyder said.

As of Thursday, there were no plans to resume the search. But Snyder said there was some discussion by officials to look at whether the water level drops any more by the end of summer and decide at that point about conducting another search, if Trejon's body doesn't appear by then.

An account to help Brown pay for funeral expenses once the body is recovered has been set up at all Wells Fargo banks under Trejon Fite's name.

E-MAIL: preavy@desnews.com