Positive Identification Made On Tuolumne River Remains

Sonora, CA — The Tuolumne County Sheriff´s Department has positively identified the remains discovered in the Tuolumne River by a Sunday evening kayaker as those of Veronica McEvoy.

Dental records confirmed the identification Tuesday evening. The remains of the 12 year old Concord, CA youth have been released to the family.

McEvoy was in a canoe which overturned after hitting a rock on Monday, June 26th. She was accompanied by Paul Padilla, his son and his daughter. The Padilla family made it safely to shore … Veronica did not.

The Sheriff´s Department employed a massive search including a Black Hawk helicopter for the next several days. The Bay Area based family organized a search which lasted several weeks. In fact, one family member was injured in a fall during that search.

It was not until Sunday evening that any trace of Veronica was discovered.

Written by Bill Johnson