The body of a 5-year-old girl who was swept into the ocean by a powerful wave at Laguna Beach earlier this week has been recovered following a days-long search, officials said.
Authorities identified the child as Amada Mia Brown. According to the Laguna Beach Marine Safety Department, her remains were found Thursday morning during an aerial survey of the coastline, about 250 to 300 yards offshore near Christmas Cove.
Officials said the location was roughly a quarter mile north of the spot where Brown was pulled into the water Tuesday evening.
A multi-agency search-and-rescue operation began at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, shortly after the girl was reported missing, and continued through Wednesday night.
Brown had been walking on the beach with her mother and brother when an unusually large wave, driven by a strong south swell, swept all three into the ocean, authorities said.
People nearby rushed into the water and were able to save the mother and the boy, but Brown could not be reached.
Laguna Beach Marine Safety, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Harbor Patrol and the United States Coast Guard worked in coordination to find the little girl, but the search was called off at 9pm on Wednesday due to low visibility.
The search lasted more than 30 hours and covered more than 90 square miles, as boats, divers and aircraft contended with dangerous ocean conditions, officials said.
The body of Amada Mia Brown, 5, was located on Thursday, two days after she was swept away by an unusually large wave at Laguna Beach in California
Brown was pulled into the water around 7.30pm on Tuesday, and a multi-agency search effort that lasted more than 30 hours ensued. A boat is pictured searching the area on Wednesday
The search was called off on Wednesday night due to low visibility after authorities covered a more than 90-mile area. A park ranger is pictured scanning the horizon for Brown
After calling off the search, Laguna Beach Marine Safety said its personnel would transition to monitoring the shoreline and offshore areas.
‘Suspending a search is an extremely difficult decision,’ said Captain Stacey Crecy, commander of Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach.
‘We launched assets and responded as quickly as possible, continuously searching throughout the night and until sunset on June 10, 2026. We worked hand-in-hand with first responders in Laguna Beach to carry out a coordinated and thorough search of the area.’
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department coroner identified the little girl and notified her family. They held a vigil for her on Thursday evening, where her grieving father, Aaron Brown, spoke to reporters.
‘I was hurt, and just thinking about what my daughter might have been going through in her last moments,’ he said.
‘Pretty sure she was scared, and just not being able to be there for her, pretty much the main thing I was thinking about.’
The father posted touching selfies of himself with his daughter on Facebook and wrote: ‘Rest In Peace baby girl I’m so sorry I wasn’t there I miss you so much and love you till I see you again.’
Waves as high as ten feet were reported in parts of Orange County this week, as marine safety officials warned of the dangers of getting in the water and urged people to stay a safe distance from the shoreline.
The little girl’s father, Aaron Brown, was devastated, ‘thinking about what my daughter might have been going through in her last moments.’ The father and daughter are pictured together
The father posted touching selfies of himself with his daughter on Facebook and wrote: ‘I miss you so much and love you till I see you again’
Shortly after Brown went missing, Laguna Beach Mayor Mark Orgill released a statement that said: ‘This is one of the most heartbreaking incidents I have witnessed during my time serving this community.
‘Our hearts go out to the young victim’s family, friends, and all those affected by this tragic loss.
‘On behalf of the Laguna Beach community, I extend our deepest condolences and want the family to know they are in our thoughts and prayers during this unimaginably difficult time.’
