(Hutchinson County, SD) — More details are being released about the boy who lost his life on the James River this week. The Hutchinson County Sheriff’s Office says he has been identified as nine-year-old Hans Hofer. The boy was reportedly playing or fishing with friends on the banks of the river in the Tschetter Hutterite Colony on Tuesday evening when he fell into the water and couldn’t be rescued. Officials say the site was very muddy and had a strong current. Hofer’s body was recovered from the James River around noon Wednesday. Crews with an aquatic response team from Canada used special technology to locate the boy. The Game, Fish and Parks Department and several county agencies also assisted in the search.
