MONTEREY COUNTY – On November 16, 2025, California State Parks announced that the body of a seven-year-old girl who was swept into the ocean at Garrapata State Park two days earlier was recovered by a volunteer diver at approximately 1:20 p.m. about half a mile north of where she went missing.  The child’s father, Yuji Hu, 39, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, died after attempting to rescue his daughter in high-surf conditions.

California State Parks, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Coast Guard, CAL FIRE, Monterey County Search and Rescue, and the California Highway Patrol had searched the water around Garrapata State Park since the afternoon of November 14, when the girl was swept into the ocean by 15- to 20-foot waves. An off-duty State Park Peace Officer (SPPO) Lifeguard spotted the family in distress near the water line at Garrapata State Park at about 12:50 p.m. and jumped in, in an attempt to rescue them. The SPPO Lifeguard managed to pull Hu out of the water and began CPR. The mother of the girl was also swept into the ocean but managed to get back to shore with the assistance of the off-duty lifeguard. She was transported by ambulance to a local hospital in stable condition with mild hypothermia. Hu was also taken to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. A 2-year-old child who was present was unharmed.

“Our thoughts are with the surviving family members and those who responded to this emergency,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona.  “These are not easy calls for first responders, rescuers and recovery teams.  We thank all of them for their service and remind them to care for themselves after responding to this tragedy.”