The family of 5-year-old Amada Mia Brown is grieving after authorities recovered her body Thursday, two days after she was swept away in dangerous surf off Laguna Beach.
At a vigil held following the recovery, Amada’s father, Aaron Brown, spoke through his heartbreak as he remembered his daughter as a joyful little girl who loved life and felt happiest near the ocean.
He said Amada adored movies like “Moana” and “Frozen,” and called her his “little princess” in an emotional interview with ABC 7.
“She’s just my sweet little baby,” Brown said. “She’s a bright child. She’s just 5 years old. She loved the beach… She was never afraid of the water.”
Amada vanished Tuesday evening when severe ocean conditions dragged her, her mother and her brother into the water near the shoreline. The tragedy has left her family and the Laguna Beach community in mourning.
Amada disappeared Tuesday evening after powerful water conditions pulled her, her mother and her brother into the ocean near the shoreline.
Bystanders rushed into the water and managed to rescue the mother and the boy, but Amada was carried out to sea.
Two people who helped with the rescue effort were transported to a local hospital with unspecified injuries.
Both were in stable condition.
Authorities confirmed her body was found after she was swept into the ocean near Treasure Island Beach earlier this week.
The US Coast Guard and multiple partner agencies launched an extensive search operation that stretched for more than 30 hours and covered over 90 square miles.
The search was suspended Wednesday night after crews were unable to locate the girl.
“Our deepest condolences go out to the child’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” Capt. Stacey Crecy, commander of Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach, said in a statement.
“Suspending a search is an extremely difficult decision. 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.”
Officials said dangerous ocean conditions remained in the area and warned that the hazardous surf could continue through Thursday, with the potential to pull people into deep water within seconds.
