Body of Teen Duck Hunter Found, Search Continues for Younger Brother

A duck hunting trip for two brothers took a devastating turn in December. One brother's body was recently recovered while the search continues for the younger sibling.

Brown kayak in the water / Unsplash

In December, two brothers left their home in California to go duck hunting in the Thermalito Afterbay vicinity. After one of their kayaks flipped, the trip turned into a nightmare for all.

The boys, 19-year-old Andruw Cornett and 17-year-old Wesley Cornett, have been missing for weeks.

After conducting an ongoing search mission, crew members were able to locate Andruw Cornett's body in the Thermalito Afterbay via helicopter on Tuesday.

"At approximately 9:30 a.m., the BCSO pilot spotted a body in the north side of the Afterbay, within the original search area," a Butte County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) member wrote on social media. "The BCSO Marine Unit and Butte County Sheriff's Search and Rescue immediately responded and recovered the body. The decedent has been positively identified as Andruw Cornett, and next-of-kin has been notified."

The boys' mother, April Clark, spoke with KRCR and explained that the youngest brother, Wesley, had taken his kayak out on the water to retrieve his downed duck. Andruw witnessed Wesley's kayak flip over, raising alarm.

Andruw dialed 911 and although the dispatcher advised that he stay out of the water, he went in to try and rescue his struggling brother.

"Andruw is a hero in my eyes, just trying to save his brother," Clark told KRCR. "I just really want to find them and bring them home. I can't give up hope. They are my world."

Clark's GoFundMe has now raised over $43,200 to help support the family during this difficult time. In her campaign, she stated that she helps search for her boys every day and is preparing to lay them to rest.

The search for Wesley is still in progress as search teams work diligently on the mission.

"During the recovery, the BCSO pilot was forced to land, due to a drone flying extremely close to the BCSO helicopter. The search will continue by air, but the use of drones in the search area prevents our pilots from flying," BCSO wrote.

Authorities ask public members to report any information they may have on this case by calling the BCSO Investigations Unit at (530) 538-7671.