NewsLocal NewsIn Your NeighborhoodKern River Valley

Actions

15-year-old girl, Los Angeles man become latest victims of Kern River

Ester Isabel Villanueva Torres and Carlos Gonzales Jr. both drowned in separate incidents, as Bakersfield police investigate the circumstances
15-year-old girl, LA man become latest victims of Kern River
Kern River (FILE)
Posted
and last updated

KERN RIVER VALLEY, Calif. (KERO) — A 15-year-old Bakersfield girl and a 46-year-old Los Angeles man have become the latest victims of the deadly Kern River.

Ester Isabel Villanueva Torres, the teenage victim, drowned on July 8 after entering the water near River View Park in Bakersfield.

Search teams recovered her body around 5 p.m. the same day.

Meanwhile, 46-year-old Carlos Gonzales Jr. was found unresponsive in the river on July 12.

The Kern County Coroner has confirmed both deaths as drownings.

These deaths add to the toll of more than 340 lives claimed by the Kern River over the years, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in our community.

The Bakersfield Police Department is handling the investigations into the circumstances surrounding both incidents.

This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.


Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:

,

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Sunday

08/31/2025

Sunny

102° / 75°

0%

Monday

09/01/2025

Sunny

106° / 79°

0%

Tuesday

09/02/2025

Partly Cloudy

103° / 74°

5%

Wednesday

09/03/2025

Sunny

101° / 74°

0%

Thursday

09/04/2025

Sunny

102° / 74°

0%

Friday

09/05/2025

Sunny

99° / 72°

0%

Saturday

09/06/2025

Sunny

97° / 70°

1%

Sunday

09/07/2025

Sunny

95° / 69°

0%