Alaska State Troopers reported that two individuals, a woman, and a small child went missing after being swept down the Matanuska River late Tuesday night.

The call reporting the incident said that five-year-old child, identified as Gabriel Lange, was playing in the water and inadvertently ventured into a deeper area of the river near an old bridge near the Matanuska River Park on the Old Glenn Highway. When the mother, identified as 29-year-old Amanda Lange went to rescue the child, they were both swept down the river  at approximately 9 pm on Tuesday night.

The Alaska State Troopers, Palmer Police Department, the Palmer Dive Team, Life Med, Central EMS, Palmer and Butte Fire Department immediately responded and began a search of the river in an effort to locate the missing duo. Helo-3 also took to the air and searched the area.

The bodies of the mother and child were found late Tuesday night and transported to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Anchorage.

There were other people in the area when the accident occurred and a bystander called in the report.

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