Missing Teen Likely Found Dead After Brother Tried to Save Him When Kayak Overturned During Hunting Trip

Authorities believe they have found the body of a 17-year-old boy who went missing on a duck hunting trip with his 19-year-old brother in Northern California last month — nearly a week after the older brother's remains were recovered.

The Butte County Sheriff’s Office said the body presumably belonging to Wesley Cornett, 17, was found on Sunday, Jan. 5, in the Thermalito Afterbay, according to FOX affiliate KTXL, ABC affiliate KXTV and NBC affiliate KCRA.

“We believe it is the remaining missing duck hunter and we are in the process of positively identifying him through DNA analysis,” authorities said.

PEOPLE reached out to the sheriff's office on Monday, Jan. 6, for comment.

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On Dec. 16, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) shared in a news release that they were “looking for two duck hunters, ages 17 and 19, who went missing over the weekend.”

Officials later identified the missing hunters as the Cornett brothers. 

The following day, ABC affiliate KRCR reported that authorities had shifted their efforts to a recovery operation.

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Then, on Dec. 31, 2024, the BCSO confirmed that Andruw's body had been found on the north side of the Thermalito Afterbay while his brother remained missing.

“At approximately 9:30 a.m., the BCSO pilot [flying in the area] spotted a body in the north side of the Afterbay, within the original search area,” the sheriff's office said in a statement. “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.”

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Authorities earlier said Andruw and Wesley went missing after Wesley “overturned on a kayak and the other one swam into the water to try and help” in the Afterbay on Dec. 14. Andruw then called 911 to report what happened and said that he was going into the water to save Wesley.

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The two teens did not have life jackets on at the time, authorities added.

In a GoFundMe established when the brothers were still missing, April Clark, the boys’ mother, wrote, “Andruw is a hero in my eyes. Im asking for help I drive 45 miles out everyday to search for my boys and some family is staying out there every night. The Sheriff is saying this is now a search and recovery so i will have to also plan to lay my two boys to rest.”

She added, "This is a freak accident that my family and I are trying to wrap our heads around and we also have 4 girls at home who we still need to care for."

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