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Red shoe led to discovery of body believed to be missing Fallbrook boy

Posted at 12:53 PM, Jan 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-26 21:49:41-05

RAINBOW (KGTV) - A body believed to be that of five-year-old Phillip Campbell of Fallbrook who was swept away in a flooded creek on Sunday has been found Thursday morning.

A little red shoe was seen in the debris of a Rainbow creek strainer that was a mile downstream by inmates who were contributing to the search. 

"Today, sadly, we did find the body of a child," San Diego Sheriff's Department spokesman Ryan Keim said.

"The area where we found the little boy was heavily wooded; it probably flowed in excess of 15 to 18 feet deep and probably 80 feet wide," said Battalion Chief Nick Schuler of Cal Fire.  

It's been an all-out search for Campbell who was last seen clutching a piece of wood as he floated past homes along what was raging water in a Rainbow creek.

Cempbell was believed to be riding in a car with a close family friend, 73-year-old Roland Phillips, that was washed off the road on the 4800 block of Fifth Street near Old Highway 395 in Rainbow, San Diego County Sheriff's officials said.

Swift water search and rescue teams performed the dangerous job of poking and probing the creek for days.

Phillips was found dead on Monday near his overturned and submerged vehicle.

Campbell's uncle, Anthony Campbell, told 10News reporter Steve Fiorina that his nephew's body was found early Thursday.