Fundraiser For Drowned Pittsburg Teen Camper Swept Into Mokelumne River

PITTSBURG (CBS SF) – A heartfelt GoFundMe site has raised more than $4,000 in less than 24 hours to help pay funeral expenses for a Pittsburg High student who died on the Mokelumne River over the Memorial Day weekend.

Family members set up the account for 18-year-old Zuleica Ruiz. She and 19-year-old Brandon Carranza drowned Saturday afternoon while on a camping trip in Amador County, according to the Amador County Sheriff's Office.

Around 2:30 p.m., deputies received a report of a possible drowning just west of the Moore Creek Campground, according to Undersheriff Jim Wegner.

Because there was no cellphone service in the area, the reporting party had to drive to another location to call authorities.

Deputies learned Ruiz and Carranza were on a camping trip and had somehow gotten swept into the river, Wegner said.

Sheriff's deputies arrived with a swift water rescue team and with the help of a California Highway Patrol helicopter to search for the teens. Additionally, PG&E responded to the scene and lowered the flow of the river, according to Wegner.

The two teens were eventually located and pronounced dead at the scene.

Ruiz was a senior at Pittsburg High School and was also a member of the Pittsburg Police Explorer program, Pittsburg police said.

Her family set up the GoFundMe webpage on Monday. Its goal is to raise $6,000.

"Saturday the 28th we got the tragic news that our sister Zuleica had unfortunately passed away while on her camping trip," they posted in a message. "Zuleica was 7 days away from her high school graduation... we appreciate all the love everyone has continued to show our family."

TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bay City News Service contributed to this report.