A Southern California family is grieving after a 12-year-old boy drowned in a lake while trying to get away from three aggressive dogs.
California City police said officers were called to Central Park Lake in Kern County on June 18 after 12-year-old Fernando Torres Moreno reportedly jumped into the water while fleeing the dogs and did not resurface.
When officers arrived, they located the boy in the lake. They also found a young girl at the scene who had suffered dog bites described as non-life-threatening.
Fernando was taken to a hospital, where emergency crews began lifesaving measures. The girl was also transported to a nearby hospital, treated for her injuries and later released.
Witness accounts led investigators to 68-year-old Kenneth Dobbins, who told police he had been at the park with his three dogs and claimed they remained with him the entire time. He was not arrested at that point.
Fernando later died at the hospital on June 19, authorities said.
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As the investigation continued, police said they determined the dogs involved in the attack belonged to Dobbins. When officers attempted to serve a search warrant tied to the drowning and dog attack, they discovered that Dobbins and his dogs were no longer there.
One of the dogs was later seized in Los Angeles County, but police are still asking the public for help locating Dobbins and the two remaining dogs.
Dobbins is a “transient and a previously convicted felon with loose ties to California City as well as Palmdale,” according to cops.
He is 6’6” tall and weighs approximately 250 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes.
A GoFund Me has been set up to help the family with funeral costs who are “struggling to cope with this sudden loss” amid the unimaginable pain of losing someone so young.
“Fernando was a bright, loving boy who brought joy to everyone around him,” a message on the fundraiser read.
“He loved spending time outdoors, playing with his siblings, and making new friends.”
“His laughter and kindness touched the lives of many, and his absence leaves a hole in the hearts of his family and community.”
