KMPH Fox 26 Central San Joaquin Valley News Source in Fresno, California Entertainment, News, Sports and Weather | Teen's Body Found In Fresno County Canal

Teen's Body Found In Fresno County Canal

By Dani Carlson & Laura Fabian

After more than two days of searching, officials from the Fresno Sheriff's department said workers from the Fresno County Irrigation district found the body of 14-year-old Jennifer Her.  

Her death has left behind questions and few answers.

"Once they told me the news today everything was different," said Mee Her.  Mee Her is Jennifer's sister.

She said she kept hoping her sister Jennifer would be found safe, but that hope that was shattered Tuesday morning.

"She's not here anymore it's very shocking everyone was just crying," said Her.

Jenifer's clothes were found near the Fancher Canal on Sunday evening.  The canal is near the intersection of Kings Canyon and Dewitt in Fresno County.

After two days of scouring the water and the area around it, irrigation workers officials found Jennifer's body caught in a metal grate-like filter called a "weir" Tuesday morning between 7:30 and 8 a.m.

The body was caught about one mile from where her clothes were found.

"We may never know exactly what happened," said Chris Curtice of the Fresno Sheriff's department.

Curtice said the Sheriff's department investigators don't think Jennifer was the victim of foul play.  He said after searching in the canal Monday, detectives from sexual and violent crimes joined the investigation and interviewed people around the area, including registered sex offenders.

Curtice said he had heard Jennifer may have gone swimming in that canal before, and he stressed that is dangerous for even the best swimmer.

"People use the canal as a dumping ground, they put trash appliances...kids jump in they can immediately get entangled in stuff and drown," said Curtice.

But that warning came too late for Jennifer.

"We were hoping she wouldn't be found in the canal and would be alive with us," said Mee Her.