The body of a five-year-old girl who was swept away by a large wave at Laguna Beach in California has been recovered.
On Tuesday evening, Amada Mia Brown had been walking along the beach with her mother and brother when a large wave pulled all three members of the family into the ocean. Bystanders immediately leapt into the water and rescued the mother and boy, but they were unable to retrieve Brown.
The remains of Amada Mia Brown were spotted Thursday morning after the search lasted more than 30 hours and covered more than 90 square miles, as boats, divers and aircraft contended with dangerous ocean conditions, officials said.
Search Efforts
The remains were found 250 to 300 yards offshore of Christmas Cove as authorities conducted an aerial survey of the coastline, according to the Laguna Beach Marine Safety Department. The location was about a quarter mile north of where the little girl was swept away on Tuesday evening.
Laguna Beach Marine Safety, the Orange County Sheriff's Department Harbor Patrol and the United States Coast Guard worked in coordination to find the little girl, but the search was called off at 9pm on Wednesday due to low visibility.
After calling off the search, Laguna Beach Marine Safety said its personnel would transition to monitoring the shoreline and offshore areas.
Statements from Officials
"Suspending a search is an extremely difficult decision," said Captain Stacey Crecy, commander of Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach. "We launched assets and responded as quickly as possible, continuously searching throughout the night and until sunset on June 10, 2026. We worked hand-in-hand with first responders in Laguna Beach to carry out a coordinated and thorough search of the area."
Father's Grief
The little girl's father, Aaron Brown, was devastated, 'thinking about what my daughter might have been going through in her last moments.' A vigil for her on Thursday evening saw her grieving father speak to reporters. He said: "I was hurt, and just thinking about what my daughter might have been going through in her last moments. Pretty sure she was scared, and just not being able to be there for her, pretty much the main thing I was thinking about."
The father posted touching selfies of himself with his daughter on Facebook and wrote: "Rest In Peace baby girl I’m so sorry I wasn’t there I miss you so much and love you till I see you again."
