Scene of Natural Bridges tragedy somber a day after boy dies in sand dune collapse

what utter horror for these families.... your neighbors and community stand with you in grief.

My wife and I are so sorry for your loss. This is a immense tragedy for all of us here in Santa Cruz.

I mentally am keeping my arms wrapped around that family. I wish I could just really hug you guys and tell you how sorry i am for your loss. i know that in any way shape or form will those words help your grief. Nothing will. I will keep praying for your family! You are loved!
Leila

My 5 year old son and I have played many times on those dunes so this feels very close to home. My tears and prayers are with the families. What a terrible loss.

I remember years ago a spot on Highway 17 near Los Gatos that was always wet - even in the summer. I should have realized the danger such an apparent spring beneath the roadway could present during a freeze. Eventually that spot caused a death when it turned to ice.

But honestly even if I'd thought of the danger TODAY I'm not sure I'd have struggled to find the right department at Caltrans to have it fixed. We are so tired of conflict, anger, lack of civility these days that we'll leave things alone if only as Howard Beale said "...just leave us alone and let us have our toaster, TV, and steel belted radials and we won't say anything..."

This is just horrifying. My condolences to the parents, if they are reading this -- not that it would help after a tragedy like this.

I think it's very inapropriate for the sentinel to interview a Funeral Director from Santa Cruz Memorial Park as part of this story.

The cave at Natural Bridges has been there for at least three weeks. It was an accident waiting to happen.

[quote]He said the cave had been created over a week or two of digging, and that he had been growing increasingly worried about it.[/quote]

If this is true and is indeed the cause, the State Parks people need to be held accountable. Also, I hope this thing was well-documented before the evidence was destroyed by the ditch digging equipment.

At this time my daughter is in her first period class. She is in tears as she has found out this is her teachers Grandson. Our Family is praying and our hearts go out to all of the family and friends of this dear boy. We in Santa Cruz all feel your loss and no words will make this better. Just know we are all with you now with our arms wrapped around your family. God Bless you all.

I can think of a thousand other locals who should have been in that cave when it collapsed. But this kid? He was probably well on his way to becoming a well-raised, productive, educated Santa Cruzan. Sometimes I think this area was cursed back when the Ohlones used to be here.

One of the other children in the accident is still in danger and the parents have asked for help in the form of prayer. He is at Stanford hospital and is lucky to be alive at this point. What is needed is for his trachea to heal so that he can get enough oxygen to his brain. For those of you who believe in prayer, please visualize his trachea healing!

My sympathies to the family and friends of the boy who died in this accident. From the way he passed we know he was an active, adventurous, fun-loving boy and the loss of one such as that from our community diminishes it.

I can't imagine anything worse than losing a child, except perhaps watching your child go though a bunch of medical proceedures.

When my kid was at stanford, it was like going though a tunnel where everyone hits you with shovels.

I wouldn't wish this on anybody, even Kim Jong Il.

My condolences to the Families, and to the family who lost a son at natural bridges beach 3 years ago, for whom this must seem like a recurrent nightmare.

actually the first on the scene responding to screams was Evan Peake from Nevada City,Ca. who freed the first boy and then helped to continue digging as others joined in the rescue/attempted rescue.
He returned home emotionally shaken and sends his love and sorrow for all involved

2 years ago my nephew almost died at a southern California beach due to a sand cave in. Thankfully he survived, even though he was under the sand for 8-10 minutes. The Today show flew my sister and her family out to NYC so they could be interviewed and inform others of the dangers of sand collapsing; my sister had no clue this was dangerous until her son disappeared under the sand. The one thing my sister says to this day is "we have to watch our children even in "safe" sand, it is not up to park rangers and others to protect our children it is our responsibility." I do not mean to place blame on anyone for this horrible accident but what I would like to see is more signs posted at beaches informing of the dangers so more parents are aware of the possibility of sand cave ins.

My heart goes out to all the families involved in this tragedy and especially to the family of the deceases child.

This same awful tragedy happened a year ago in Bodega Bay, sand cave collapse killing a 10 year old boy. This is a State Beach, the Parks people SHOULD have know of the dangers of sand caves, even if the parents didn't. If this cave really was in existence for a couple weeks, Natural Bridges rangers are completely negligent for leaving it.
I am so so sorry for this family. My heart goes out to you. I have an 11 year old too. I dont even know you but I have been in tears all morning imaging how you must feel... i am really sorry.

Maybe a good reason for Arnold not have cut the state parks staff.

sarahcanary wrote:

This same awful tragedy happened a year ago in Bodega Bay, sand cave collapse killing a 10 year old boy. This is a State Beach, the Parks people SHOULD have know of the dangers of sand caves, even if the parents didn't. If this cave really was in existence for a couple weeks, Natural Bridges rangers are completely negligent for leaving it.
I am so so sorry for this family. My heart goes out to you. I have an 11 year old too. I dont even know you but I have been in tears all morning imaging how you must feel... i am really sorry.

Maybe these state beaches should start posting warnings with photos of a before and after collapse, just to show how deep in anyone (kids and adults) can get trapped. AND maybe start putting some strong gauge wire caging underneath these hillsides of sand, to prevent people from digging away at them to make caves.
Very sad tragedy.

sarahcanary wrote:

......This is a State Beach, the Parks people SHOULD have know of the dangers of sand caves, even if the parents didn't. If this cave really was in existence for a couple weeks, Natural Bridges rangers are completely negligent for leaving it....

Yes, this is a terrible tragedy and could have been avoided, but how can you put the blame on the State rangers? The world is a dangerous place, even on sandy beach on a beautiful sunny day.