Father dies, 5-year-old daughter missing after family swept into ocean in Monterey County
By Brandon Downs
A father has died and his 5-year-old daughter is still missing after they were swept into the Pacific Ocean in Monterey County on Friday, authorities said.
Deputies with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office responded to a water rescue incident shortly before 1 p.m. at Garrapata State Beach along Highway 1 north of the Rocky Point Restaurant. An off-duty State Parks officer located a family in distress near the water.
Deputies said a man was trying to rescue his 5-year-old daughter from the ocean after she was pulled out by the waves that were estimated to be 15-20 feet high.
As the father and daughter were swept away, deputies said the mother tried to reach them when she was also swept away as her husband held on to his daughter’s hand.
The mother was able to get back to the shore on her own, deputies said. The couple’s 2-year-old child was unharmed.
The father was eventually pulled back to shore and an officer began rendering CPR. The father and mother were rushed to a local hospital, where the father was pronounced dead, deputies said. The mother is stable and is being treated for mild hypothermia.
The 5-year-old remains missing, deputies said. She was wearing a red shirt.
The identification of the victim has not been released at this time.
