8-Year-Old Drowns Near Live Oak On Paradise Road
LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST – A family’s Fourth of July holiday took a tragic turn after an 8-year-old boy drowned near Paradise Road on Wednesday afternoon. The child was reported missing at 12:56 p.m. by his family visiting the Live Oak Day Use area. The campsites in the Los Padres National Forest were filled with hundreds of people celebrating the holiday but the celebration turned into panic as a child went missing in a murky pool of water that was filled with swimmers. “When we arrived on scene, the people who were enjoying their Fourth of July were searching for a missing boy that they believed has gone down in the water,” said Battalion Chief Gary Helming, Los Padres National Forest Fire Service. Paramedics, the County Sheriff and Fire Departments and the Forest Service responded to search for the child. Bystanders and 10 Los Padres swimmers searched the water that is upwards of 20 feet deep. The 8-year-old was in the water for around 20 minutes before he was pulled out. “I saw a lot of people going over there, so I went to go check and we saw this little kid right there and they were trying to push him,” said 11-year-old Marcos Almaraz, describing the first responders who tried to revive the child. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene. A CalStar and Sheriff’s helicopter were called out but the boy was not transported by air. “I’m sad because it’s on July 4th and he died,” said Almaraz. His name and hometown have yet to be released. This area of Santa Barbara County is a very popular place for holiday travelers and locals alike.Tune into KEY News for more.Connect with KEY News on Twitter- @KEY3News and Facebook- facebook.com/KEY3News for instant updates.
