Latest news with #MahiBrijeshkumarPatel
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Missing 10-year-old girl's remains identified after Panga boat capsized off California coast
Authorities have confirmed the identity of a body that washed ashore in San Diego County last week as a 10-year-old girl who was reported missing after a Panga boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast. Mahi Brijeshkumar Patel was one of four passengers who died after their boat capsized on May 5, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office. She had turned 10 just two days before the accident. Her body washed ashore at Torrey Pines State Beach on May 21. Her 14-year-old brother, Prince Brijeshkumar Patel, also died in the incident. His death was ruled an accidental drowning. The siblings' parents were both rescued but the father remains in a coma, officials said. The family is from India. The family was aboard the Pangaboat, a small boat with an outboard motor, along with several other people when it capsized at Del Mar Beach. Read more: Dad in coma, son dead and 10-year-old daughter missing after migrant boat capsizes; 5 charged The U.S. Coast Guard received a call around 6:30 a.m. that a small panga-style boat with an estimated 16 people on board had overturned just north of Torrey Pines State Beach, said Hunter Schnabel, a Coast Guard public affairs officer. The third drowning victim was identified as Marcos Lozada-Juarez, 18. The fourth victim has not yet been identified. Authorities have not confirmed a final total of how many people were aboard the boat. Authorities began making arrests soon after the capsized boat was reported. Two people — Jesus Ivan Rodriguez-Leyva, 36, and Julio Cesar Zuniga-Luna, 30, both Mexican nationals — were arrested on the beach on suspicion of smuggling the passengers on the boat, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. A few hours later in Chula Vista, just 10 miles from the Mexican border, Border Patrol agents spotted a car, which had been seen earlier near the accident scene, and arrested three of its passengers, but the driver got away. Agents continued their investigation and eventually stopped two other vehicles involved in the smuggling incident and discovered eight of the nine missing migrants, according to prosecutors. The drivers of the vehicles — Melissa Jenelle Cota, 33; Gustavo Lara, 32; and Sergio Rojas-Fregoso, 31 — were arrested and charged with the transportation of undocumented immigrants, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Times staff writer Clara Harter contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Los Angeles Times
Missing 10-year-old girl's remains identified after Panga boat capsized off California coast
Authorities have confirmed the identity of a body that washed ashore in San Diego County last week as a 10-year-old girl who was reported missing after a Panga boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast. Mahi Brijeshkumar Patel was one of four passengers who died after their boat capsized on May 5, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office. She had turned 10 just two days before the accident. Her body washed ashore at Torrey Pines State Beach on May 21. Her 14-year-old brother, Prince Brijeshkumar Patel, also died in the incident. His death was ruled an accidental drowning. The siblings' parents were both rescued but the father remains in a coma, officials said. The family is from India. The family was aboard the Pangaboat, a small boat with an outboard motor, along with several other people when it capsized at Del Mar Beach. The U.S. Coast Guard received a call around 6:30 a.m. that a small panga-style boat with an estimated 16 people on board had overturned just north of Torrey Pines State Beach, said Hunter Schnabel, a Coast Guard public affairs officer. The third drowning victim was identified as Marcos Lozada-Juarez, 18. The fourth victim has not yet been identified. Authorities have not confirmed a final total of how many people were aboard the boat. Authorities began making arrests soon after the capsized boat was reported. Two people — Jesus Ivan Rodriguez-Leyva, 36, and Julio Cesar Zuniga-Luna, 30, both Mexican nationals — were arrested on the beach on suspicion of smuggling the passengers on the boat, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. A few hours later in Chula Vista, just 10 miles from the Mexican border, Border Patrol agents spotted a car, which had been seen earlier near the accident scene, and arrested three of its passengers, but the driver got away. Agents continued their investigation and eventually stopped two other vehicles involved in the smuggling incident and discovered eight of the nine missing migrants, according to prosecutors. The drivers of the vehicles — Melissa Jenelle Cota, 33; Gustavo Lara, 32; and Sergio Rojas-Fregoso, 31 — were arrested and charged with the transportation of undocumented immigrants, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Times staff writer Clara Harter contributed to this report.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Remains found at Torrey Pines State Beach identified as 10-year-old girl
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office said remains that were found on Torrey Pines State Beach last week belonged to a 10-year-old girl who was one of those on board a panga that capsized in Del Mar earlier this month. The remains were found by a passerby on May 21 who immediately contacted law enforcement. On Thursday, the Medical Examiner's office confirmed the remains belonged to a 10-year-old girl named Mahi Brijeshkumar Patel. PREVIOUS: 5 arrested after deadly smuggling incident off San Diego coast; girl remains missing Patel was one of the passengers of a panga that had capsized on May 5 at Del Mar Beach, according to the medical examiner's office. The office added that Patel was missing and could not be located when law enforcement and other emergency personnel arrived. The vessel was found near the 12000 block of North Torrey Pines Road and triggered a multi-agency response from the San Diego Police Department, Del Mar lifeguards, Border Patrol agents, the United States Coast Guard and other local authorities. According to local officials, as many as 18 people were believed to have been on the boat at the time, including alleged smugglers. Jorge Sanchez, deputy fire chief with the Encinitas Fire Department, confirmed that at least three people were killed in the incident. Three bodies were recovered, including a 14-year-old boy from India identified in court records as P.P.B. Eight of the nine migrants who had been missing from the boat were accounted for, with the exception of P.P.B's 10-year-old sister, authorities previously stated. On Wednesday, May 21, a passerby at Torrey Pines State Beach came across human remains which were later turned over to authorities. The medical examiner stated Patel's parents have been notified of DNA testing that confirmed her identity. The cause and manner of her death are still pending investigation. Five Mexican nationals were detained in relation to the alleged smuggling scheme after Border Patrol agents stopped vehicles that were seen leaving the area where the boat capsized. Julio Cesar Zuniga-Luna, 30, and Jesus Juan Rodriguez-Leyva, 36, were charged with bringing in aliens resulting in death and bringing in aliens for financial gain. Meanwhile, Melissa Jenelle Cota, 33, Gustavo Lara, 32, and Sergio Rojas-Fregosa, 31, were charged with transportation of illegal aliens. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
