Placer crews recover body of woman, 40, swept away in American River near Colfax
Placer County searchers located the remains of Eryn VanAcker, 40, on Monday — three days after she was swept away in the North Fork of the American River while hiking with her dog.
Placer County sheriff’s officials confirmed the discovery in a statement posted Monday afternoon. VanAcker had last been seen Friday around 2:30 p.m. on the Codfish Falls Trail near Colfax.
“We are heartbroken to share that the body of a woman who has been missing since Friday, January 2 has been recovered from the North Fork of the American River,” Placer sheriff’s officials said in a statement posted to its Facebook page. “This outcome is not what anyone hoped for. Our deepest condolences are with Eryn’s family, friends, and loved ones.
Search teams resumed efforts Monday morning after storm conditions and poor visibility hampered progress over the weekend. Divers, drone operators, and search dogs from multiple counties joined the operation. Raft teams patrolled both banks of the river, swollen from recent rainfall.
VanAcker was last seen walking with her red and white border collie, Vixen. The dog was found alone on the trail about 15 minutes later. Her car was parked nearby. Deputies said her phone and a dog bowl were located along the riverbank.
The Sheriff’s Office said VanAcker likely entered the river upstream from Lake Clementine and was swept away by the current.
Search dogs worked the shoreline where VanAcker was reported missing about 6 p.m. Video provided by the Sheriff’s Office showed raft teams navigating a swift-moving American River swollen by the recent rains.
Heavy rain and poor visibility grounded drones Sunday, complicating search efforts. Officials said the incident appeared accidental.
“At this time, there is no evidence indicating anything other than an accidental incident, though all possibilities continue to be evaluated,” the Sheriff’s Office said Sunday.
The search drew support from across the region, including sheriff’s departments from El Dorado, Nevada and Yuba counties, Cal Fire, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, rangers from the Auburn State Recreation Area, and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office in Nevada.
This story was originally published January 5, 2026 at 2:22 PM.
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