8-year-old boy killed by fallen tree branch at Calabasas summer camp; 4 injured

On Wednesday, a massive oak tree branch fell onto a group of children and adults at a Calabasas summer camp, killing an 8-year-old boy and injuring several others.

According to a parent of another camper, it was the second branch to fall from the tree in the last couple of weeks.

In an interview with The Times on Thursday, parent Jill Ettinger said her daughter was attending the summer camp at King Gillette Ranch and was there Wednesday when the branch fell. Her 11-year-old daughter would later tell her that a branch had fallen from the same tree two weeks earlier, but everyone still considered it safe, Ettinger said.

Her daughter told her the shade of the oak tree was where campers regularly gathered and sat in a circle to end the day.

But on Wednesday, it was the scene of an unexpected tragedy.

People reported hearing a loud crack before the massive branch, estimated to weigh several hundred pounds, came tumbling down, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Lt. Daniel Vizcarra told The Times. The branch was 25 to 30 feet long, officials said.

The Sheriff’s Department and the L.A. County Fire Department responded to a call in the 26000 block of Mulholland Highway shortly before 3 p.m. and found three injured children and two injured adults, Vizcarra said.

The 8-year-old boy was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, said Vizcarra.

An 11-year-old girl was airlifted to a hospital with a broken leg. A 5-year-old boy was cut on his head; a 22-year-old man was bruised on his head and arms; and a 73-year-old man sustained a concussion in the incident, the Sheriff’s Department said.

“My heart goes out to the family at this overwhelming and devastating loss,” said Joseph T. Edmiston, executive officer of the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, in a statement.

The group was taking shade under the tree at Camp Wildcraft when the branch snapped, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Camp Wildcraft is a day camp with multiple locations across Southern California that emphasizes art and nature, according to parents.

Ettinger’s daughter, Imogene, started going to the camp on Monday and was named a junior counselor, with the responsibility of helping clean up after the other campers. The camp was her parents’ attempt to get her to experience the outdoors again since her father lost his home in Altadena in the Eaton fire.

“It felt a little bit like some sort of healing between her and nature. To get her out there,” her mother said. “I think there is a place for these nature camps. I think it’s important that kids get off their devices and get outside.”

Imogene was at the edge of the sitting circle when the branch fell, her mother said. There was a panic and everyone scattered.

“She started running and she saw that her friends were OK,” Ettinger said.

When her daughter was out of harm’s way and turned around, she saw her camp counselor lying on the ground bleeding. Someone was performing CPR on the 8-year-old boy. The boy was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. His identity has not been released.

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, which manages the 588 acres of public park land in the Santa Monica Mountains, said the safety and well-being of children will always be its highest priority.

“We are working closely with Los Angeles County Sheriffs and appropriate agencies to understand exactly what happened,” stated the authority, “and we are fully committed to supporting a thorough and transparent investigation.”

In a statement posted on its website Friday, Camp Wildcraft said they are “heartbroken and are grieving alongside those in our community.”

“On behalf of our entire team at Camp Wildcraft, we extend our heartfelt condolences to everyone injured or affected by the recent accident at King Gillette Ranch, especially to the family of our beloved camper who lost his life,” the statement said. “Camp Wildcraft is a small, family-run business rooted in a deep love for nature, creativity, children and community. What happened is beyond anything we could have ever imagined.”

Camp organizers directed all questions about the status of the tree in the accident to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority.

L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath released a statement saying, “My heart is with everyone impacted by this tragic situation.”

Horvath said her office was in close communication with the sheriff’s and fire departments and working to provide support.

“We hold everyone involved in our thoughts and pray for their safety,” she said.

But what happens next for the camp and those who attended it is unclear. Camp officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

Several years ago, when Imogene was about 4 years old, she saw a child drown in a pool during a day camp in Altadena. Given what happened Wednesday, Ettinger is not sure if she will send Imogene to a sleep-away camp later this summer.

“I mean, it doesn’t compare to what that poor family is going through. We’re devastated for them,” Ettinger said. “It really looked like a lovely place.”