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15-year-old girl attacked by sea lion in California
15-year-old girl attacked by sea lion in California

Yahoo

time02-04-2025

  • Health
  • Yahoo

15-year-old girl attacked by sea lion in California

Phoebe Beltran, 15, has always been a "water baby," according to her mom, Bibi Beltran. She has always had a love for swimming, she told ABC News, which was why she decided to participate in a junior lifeguard cadet program in Long Beach, California, on March 30. In the middle of competing in the 1,000-yard swim test, she felt pain in her right arm. "My initial reaction was, 'I'm getting eaten in the middle of the water, it's a shark, I'm going to die,'" Phoebe Beltran told ABC News. Phoebe Beltran immediately screamed for help, which is when the animal -- she later found out was a sea lion -- let go of her arm. She was assisted back to the shore and a lifeguard boat patrolling the water brought all the other swimmers to safety, according to the Long Beach Fire Department. "As I was getting up onto shore, that's when I stood up, the lifeguards saw that my arm was bleeding, they took me to the sand and started fixing me up before sending me to the ER," Phoebe Beltran said. Her mom heard the screams, but didn't think it was her daughter until she saw her arm gushing with blood. "I don't have the words to explain the panic in a mom's heart when they see their child like that," Bibi Beltran said. "It was a rollercoaster of emotions." Phoebe Beltran had bites "localized to her arms and extremities" and was taken to the local hospital, but "did not require advanced treatment," officials said. MORE: 'Demonic' sea lion reports spark concerns about toxic algae on California coast She later found out the lifeguards determined the animal that attacked her was a sea lion. Phoebe Beltran said she did not do "anything that provoked" the sea lion and she would not have swum next to it if she had seen the animal. "It came out of nowhere, I was surprised by it and so were other people," Phoebe Beltran said. This incident comes after sea lions on the California coast have reportedly been displaying strange behavior, likely due to a harmful algae bloom impacting the region, according to marine researchers. The sea lions are likely being poisoned by domoic acid, a neurotoxin within the algae blooms, which they ingest through the fish they eat, according to marine experts. Ingesting domoic acid can cause amnesic shellfish poisoning in humans and marine mammals, according to the Marine Mammal Care Center. "Instances of bites are quite a rare occurrence, but it is important for the public to maintain a distance of 150 feet from sea lions and other marine life on local beaches, exit the water immediately if approached by a marine mammal (do not engage) and call trained wildlife first responders if there appears to be a marine mammal in distress," the center said in a statement to ABC News. Justin Viezbicke, the California Stranding Coordinator for National Marine Fisheries Service, told ABC News that sea lions are not typically aggressive creatures and would normally "just run away" at the sight of humans, not attack. MORE: Pipeline surfer who appeared in 'Blue Crush' killed in shark attack in Hawaii, emergency officials say "With this domoic acid poisoning, for some reason, it's changing something in them that does create a situation where the sea lions have reacted, and that reaction has been either to bite or to chase after people or to exhibit behaviors that we would consider not normal," Viezbicke said. Common symptoms for domoic acid poisoning include lethargy, seizures, a bobbing and weaving of their heads and in some cases, aggression, Viezbicke said. "Normal behavior is that they're alert and aware of you," Viezbicke said. "Oftentimes, with domoic acid, that awareness is really not there until you may be getting too close." Officials said the sea lion that attacked Phoebe Beltran had "no evidence" of being sick, just appearing to be aggressive. After the attack, the animal "left immediately and swam back out in the ocean," the fire department said. However, Phoebe Beltran still thinks this animal was ill. "Knowing it happened out of nowhere, I deeply feel like it had something with it being sick," Phoebe Beltran said. "It's sad they weren't able to catch it to help it and bring it back to its health, but hopefully it's doing better on its own." Phoebe Beltran said her pain is "manageable," but the emotional trauma from the incident is something she still struggles with. "The physical wounds don't seem that bad, but what happened took a toll on me mentally, so it's just something I am working on getting over," Phoebe Beltran told ABC News. Despite the attack, Phoebe Beltran said she still plans on getting back in the water once she is completely healed, competing again for the junior lifeguard program and pursuing a career focusing on marine life. "I came out really lucky to have my arm, it's still working, it's just scratches. [I hope people can] be more aware of what's going on in the water, not to blame it on the sea animals at all," Phoebe Beltran said. ABC News' Julia Jacobo contributed to this report 15-year-old girl attacked by sea lion in California originally appeared on

2 killed in violent crash in Long Beach
2 killed in violent crash in Long Beach

Yahoo

time24-03-2025

  • Yahoo

2 killed in violent crash in Long Beach

Traffic detectives are investigating a violent crash that left two people dead in Long Beach Sunday evening. It happened around 7:35 p.m. near Wardlow Road and Woodruff Avenue, involving an SUV and a motorcycle, according to the Long Beach Police Department. Authorities said a 2025 Yamaha YZF-R1 motorcycle was traveling northbound on Woodruff Avenue when it collided with a 2006 Toyota Highlander that was turning left onto Wardlow Road. Long Beach Fire Department personnel responded and transported the driver of the Highlander to a local hospital. The motorcyclist and a passenger in the Highlander were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The motorcyclist was identified as Austin Patrick Fett, a 28-year-old resident of Lakewood. The identity of the passenger is being withheld pending notification of next of kin by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, officials said. Police said impaired driving is not being investigated as a factor in the crash. Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Efrain Pineda at 562-570-7355. Anonymous tips can be submitted online or by calling 1-800-222-8477. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Police find dying motorcyclist on street after crash in Long Beach
Police find dying motorcyclist on street after crash in Long Beach

Yahoo

time09-03-2025

  • Yahoo

Police find dying motorcyclist on street after crash in Long Beach

A motorcyclist who was found on the street after a crash died from his injuries at a hospital, police say. The Long Beach Police Department issued a statement Sunday morning stating that officers were in the area of Long Beach Boulevard and 51st Street around 5:10 p.m. Saturday when they observed a motorcycle rider in the roadway after a possible collision. The officers immediately began to render aid until Long Beach Fire Department paramedics arrived on scene and transported him to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Authorities investigating after Southern California temple vandalized with 'political messages' 'Preliminary investigation revealed a Honda CBR 900 motorcycle was traveling at a high rate of speed northbound on Long Beach Boulevard when the rider lost control at 51st Street and fell to the asphalt prior to colliding with a parked vehicle,' LBPD said in a media release. The motorcycle rider was only identified as a 55-year-old man from Long Beach. Anyone with information regarding the crash is asked to contact LBPD Collision Investigation Detail Detective Kevin Johansen by calling 562-570-7355. To submit information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers (1-800-222-8477) or visiting Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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