Child drowns after going into California’s Shasta Lake without life jacket

By Richard Ramos

A 5-year-old child has died after drowning at Shasta Lake in Northern California on Monday, officials said.

The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office said deputies went shortly before 11:30 a.m. to Turntable Bay for a report of a missing child in the water. When first responders arrived, they learned the child had entered the lake without wearing a life jacket.

Authorities said the child went underwater before family members could get to him and put on a personal flotation device.

A search effort was launched involving multiple agencies, including Cal Fire, the U.S. Forest Service, California Highway Patrol Air Operations and medical personnel. Just more than an hour later, the child was located and pulled from the water.

Shasta County authorities said the child, who has not yet been identified, was later released to the coroner’s office. Officials said no foul play is suspected.

The sheriff’s office extended condolences to the child’s family and loved ones, calling the incident a tragic reminder of how quickly conditions on the water can turn dangerous.

“The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public that, although we have seen warmer temperatures this spring, water temperatures will remain extremely cold for the foreseeable future,” the sheriff’s office said.