An 8-year-old boy has sadly died after a tree branch fell on him and other children in California. The tragic incident happened at a summer camp with several children injured.
According to the Los Angeles Daily News, the tree limb belonged to an oak tree at the summer camp in Calabasas. The large tree branch fell on a group of people on July 9. Authorities quickly responded to reports of injuries at the summer camp in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Lt. Daniel Vizcarra said an 8-year-old died. The tree branch weighed several hundred pounds and was very large in length. When it fell, two adults and three children were underneath it. The other four were injured, and the 8-year-old died from his injuries.
8-Year-Old Killed By Falling Tree Branch
Authorities haven't released the identities of those involved. However, they airlifted an 11-year-old girl who broke her leg from the tree branch. Authorities mourned the tragic incident.
"Words cannot express the depth of our sorrow. Our hearts are with the child's family, friends, and all those affected by this unimaginable tragedy," a statement from the organization reads, per KABC.
"The safety and well-being of children and adults in our parks is, and always will be, our highest priority," the statement added. "We are working closely with [the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department] and appropriate agencies to understand exactly what happened, and we are fully committed to supporting a thorough and transparent investigation."
"She started running and she saw that her friends were OK," Ettinger told the outlet. She saw the 8-year-old who died and the resulting chaos afterward.
