(CALABASAS, Calif.) — A large oak tree limb fell on a group of kids attending summer camp in Southern California, fatally injuring one child, officials said.
The incident occurred at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas on Wednesday afternoon, authorities noted. Children attending Camp Wildcraft — an art and nature camp based in Los Angeles — were gathering at the end of the day under a large oak tree for shade when they “heard cracks and suddenly a very large branch fell on top of them,” according to the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.
Five people were injured during the incident — an 11-year-old girl with a broken leg, a 5-year-old boy with cuts and a head laceration, a 22-year-old man with abrasions to his head and a 73-year-old man who sustained a concussion, the sheriff’s department said in a statement. An 8-year-old boy who was critically injured was transported to a local hospital and later pronounced deceased, according to the department.
The branch, which officials estimate fell on up to nine kids, was around 25 to 30 feet long, the department said.
The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, the operators of the land where the incident occurred, said in a statement they are “devastated by the tragic loss” and they are closely working with the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and other officials to “understand exactly what happened, and we are fully committed to supporting a thorough and transparent investigation.”
“Words cannot express the depth of our sorrow,” the recreation and conservation authority said.
It remains unclear how the oak tree branch fell.
“My heart is with everyone impacted by the tragic situation at King Gillette Ranch. We are actively working to provide all possible support. We hold everyone involved in our thoughts and pray for their safety,” L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said in a statement on X.
Officials said they will continue to look into the incident, which they noted is now an accidental death investigation.
Oak trees are protected in the city of Calabasas due to the Oak Tree Ordinance, which requires “reforestation, registration and preservation of all healthy oak trees, unless reasonable and conforming use of a property justifies the removal, transplanting, altering and/or encroachment in the oak tree’s protected zone,” according to the city’s website.
The ordinance also states that any person or entity that “owns, controls or has custody or possession of any real property within the city shall maintain all oak trees and scrub oak habitat located thereon in a state of good health pursuant to the Oak Tree Preservation and Protection Guidelines.”
ABC News’ Jennifer Watts and Kayna Whitworth contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
