Latest news with #CampWildcraft
Miami Herald
10-07-2025
- Miami Herald
Massive tree branch falls at summer camp and kills 8-year-old, California cops say
An 8-year-old died after a tree branch fell on him while at summer camp, California officials said. On July 9, the 8-year-old and a group of other kids and adults decided to get some shade under an oak tree at the camp in Calabasas, according to a news release by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. They were attending Camp Wildcraft at King Gillette Ranch, ABC News reported, citing authorities. The group, consisting of the child, an 11-year-old, a 5-year-old, a 22-year-old and a 73-year-old were sitting under the tree when they 'heard cracks,' deputies said. Then a 25-foot to 30-foot branch fell from the tree, landing on top of them, deputies said. Deputies arrived at the scene to find camp staff helping the group, the sheriff's office said. The 8-year-old was transported to a hospital, where he eventually died, deputies said. The 11-year-old had to be airlifted and was treated for a broken leg, the 5-year-old had cuts, the 22-year-old sustained bruising to his body and the 73-year-old got a concussion, deputies said. 'My heart is with everyone impacted by the tragic situation at King Gillette Ranch,' Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said in a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. Children as young as 4 1/2 years old can attend Camp Wildcraft, and middle schoolers can attend as junior guides, the camp's website said. '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,' Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, which manages the park, said in a statement to KABC. Anyone with information is asked to call 323-890-5500, deputies said. Calabasas is about a 30-mile drive northwest from downtown Los Angeles.
10-07-2025
Tree limb fatally injures child at Southern California summer camp
A large oak tree limb fell on a group of kids attending summer camp in Southern California, fatally injuring one child, officials said. The incident occurred at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas on Wednesday afternoon, authorities noted. Children attending Camp Wildcraft -- an art and nature camp based in Los Angeles -- were gathering at the end of the day under a large oak tree for shade when they "heard cracks and suddenly a very large branch fell on top of them," according to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. Five people were injured during the incident -- an 11-year-old girl with a broken leg, a 5-year-old boy with cuts and a head laceration, a 22-year-old man with abrasions to his head and a 73-year-old man who sustained a concussion, the sheriff's department said in a statement. An 8-year-old boy who was critically injured was transported to a local hospital and later pronounced deceased, according to the department. The branch, which officials estimate fell on up to nine kids, was around 25 to 30 feet long, the department said. The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, the operators of the land where the incident occurred, said in a statement they are "devastated by the tragic loss" and they are closely working with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department and other officials to "understand exactly what happened, and we are fully committed to supporting a thorough and transparent investigation." "Words cannot express the depth of our sorrow," the recreation and conservation authority said. It remains unclear how the oak tree branch fell. "My heart is with everyone impacted by the tragic situation at King Gillette Ranch. We are actively working to provide all possible support. We hold everyone involved in our thoughts and pray for their safety," L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said in a statement on X. Officials said they will continue to look into the incident, which they noted is now an accidental death investigation. Oak trees are protected in the city of Calabasas due to the Oak Tree Ordinance, which requires "reforestation, registration and preservation of all healthy oak trees, unless reasonable and conforming use of a property justifies the removal, transplanting, altering and/or encroachment in the oak tree's protected zone," according to the city's website. The ordinance also states that any person or entity that "owns, controls or has custody or possession of any real property within the city shall maintain all oak trees and scrub oak habitat located thereon in a state of good health pursuant to the Oak Tree Preservation and Protection Guidelines."
