Girl, 6, Dies after Beach Accident

The six-year-old girl who was has died, Sheriff's Office deputy April Skalland told Patch.

She was pronounced dead after being flown by medical helicopter to Stanford.

The girl was playing in the surf when the log washed in, holding her down long enough to lose consciousness. When emergency crews arrived, she had been rescued from under the section of tree, but remained unconscious, Central Fire officials reported.

On Thursday afternoon, the girl had regained a normal pulse and vital signs at Dominican Hospital before being flown to Stanford for further treatment, according to Central Fire.

She later took a turn for the worst.

The victim's identity and official cause of death have not been released, but Skalland said that she and the family were visiting Santa Cruz from San Jose, and had been staying in a vacation rental in the neighborhood of the beach. Skalland estimated that the log was 12 feet long and weighed about 1,000 pounds. 

"There are many natural hazards in and around the ocean and beaches," Skalland said, in a statement reminding everyone to be careful at the beach. "Especially during storms, the ocean can become more volatile. The creeks and rivers are producing debris, large logs and driftwood to the ocean. These natural hazards can be very dangerous."

Stay tuned to Capitola-Soquel Patch as details from Thursday's tragedy develop. 

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