Only 1 boy's body found in car in Green River

AUBURN — Eleven years ago, the Beaupre family gathered on the banks of the Green River to scatter the ashes of patriarch Paul Beaupre, an avid fisherman who died at 72.

On Tuesday, the family was back at the river holding vigil as King County sheriff's deputies recovered the body of 2-year-old Hunter Beaupre from a car that had careened into the murky, brown water on Friday. Hunter was Paul Beaupre's grandson.

But the body of Hunter's 13-year-old cousin Austin Fuda, who also had been in the car when it plunged into the river, was not found in the battered Volkswagen Beetle. A search of the riverbank also turned up no sign of the teen, adding to the anguish of the family that has waited nearly a week for some sign of the two boys.

"We were hoping and praying he was in the car," said Kristin Fuda, Austin's aunt. "This is like another nightmare on top of everything."

King County sheriff's deputies plan to return to the Green River today with rafts, underwater cameras and a specially trained dog to try to find Austin.

The two boys were presumed drowned Friday morning when the Beetle, driven by Austin's 16-year-old stepsister, left Green River Road Southeast just north of the Auburn Golf Course and went into the water. The driver was able to get out of the car and tried to return to get the boys but was swept away by the current.

Searchers tried on Friday to find the car and tow it from the river, but they were driven out by the strong current.

On Tuesday, after a long, cold struggle, the efforts of 60 police and firefighters finally paid off as the submerged car was slowly towed from the river. But the relief of searchers was short-lived when they realized only one of the bodies was inside.

The team was "disheartened," said Sgt. John Urquhart, spokesman for the King County Sheriff's Office. "We were hoping to bring some closure to these families."

Urquhart said it was possible that Austin had tried to swim from the car after it plunged into the river and was caught up in the swift current. The car's windshield had been broken out, Urquhart said, but deputies don't know whether that happened during the accident or at some other time.

The car will be examined by deputies to determine what caused the accident, he said.

Urquhart said it's possible that Austin's body may be snagged on submerged limbs, which are common in the river. Hunter's mother, Dori Beaupre, said she was told that her son's body was cleaned up and wrapped in a blanket after being removed from the car.

"He was an angel," she said. "I'm so grateful that he was part of my life."

Nancy Bartley: 206-464-8522 or nbartley@seattletimes.com