Fresno County Sheriff-Coroner's Office

The boy who drowned Sunday in Shaver Lake has been identified as Alejandro Araujo, 16, of Orosi.

Alejandro was a student at Orosi High School who was just finishing his first year.

On June 9, around 12:40 p.m., dispatchers received a call about a teenager who had jumped from a pontoon boat into Shaver Lake and did not resurface. Alejandro Araujo, 16, wore a U.S. Coast Guard Type 2 life jacket. He had placed it around his neck, but had not secured it around his body, so it slipped when he entered the water at about 65°. A member of his group jumped into the lake to try to save him, but was unable to find him.

Boating deputies, who were already carrying out their usual weekend patrol duties, quickly responded to the area near Camp Chawankee Island. There was no immediate sign of the boy.

Members of the Sheriff's Office Dive Unit Dive Team were called and entered the water. At 1:50 p.m., a member of the dive team recovered the young man's body from approximately 15 feet underground. It was later learned that Alejandro could not swim well.

The Sheriff's Office encourages everyone to be safe in and around swimming pools and all natural waterways. Take these simple steps.

1) Wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket. Make sure it is secure and fits the person properly.
2) Stay out of the water if you are not an experienced swimmer.
3) Parents must supervise their children at all times.
4) Do not mix alcohol and swimming. Alcohol tires swimmers more quickly than normal and can create dangerous situations.
5) Understand that when it's hot outside, you will get tired more quickly than usual.
6) Respect the water. The water temperature remains cold and the current is often stronger than it appears. There may be debris in the water that is difficult to see and can cause dangerous situations for swimmers.
7) Be careful of the mud at the bottom of lakes and rivers, it is easy to sink in some places and get your feet stuck. Also use your feet to detect falling points. The bottom of rivers and lakes can change dramatically from shallow to deep over a short distance.