Amada Mia Brown was swept into the ocean with her mother and sibling near Treasure Island Beach.
LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Authorities recovered the body of 5-year-old Amada Mia Brown on Thursday after she was swept into the ocean with her mother and sibling two days earlier near Treasure Island Beach, city officials said.
The discovery ended a large search that began Tuesday night and stretched across rough water off the Orange County coast. Laguna Beach Marine Safety, police, fire crews, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Harbor Patrol and the U.S. Coast Guard searched by air, boat and water as dangerous surf continued to hit the shoreline.
Officials said the family was near the shoreline about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday when powerful water conditions pulled the mother and two children into the ocean. Two bystanders entered the water and helped rescue the mother and one child. The girl could not be found that night. Laguna Beach Marine Safety Chief Kai Bond said the bystanders’ actions “undoubtedly prevented further loss of life.” The mother and surviving child were taken to a hospital for evaluation and later released. Witnesses who helped also were evaluated and released, officials said.
The search continued through Wednesday under hazardous conditions, including large surf, strong currents and limited underwater visibility. The Coast Guard later said crews had searched more than 30 hours and covered more than 90 square miles before suspending the active search Wednesday evening. On Thursday morning, an aerial survey of the coastline found a possible match about 250 to 300 yards offshore of Christmas Cove. The cove is about one-quarter mile north of the area where the child was first swept into the water. Marine Safety personnel recovered the body with help from the sheriff’s Harbor Patrol.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department Coroner Division positively identified the child as the missing swimmer reported June 9. Local reports identified her as Amada Mia Brown of San Bernardino. Her father, Aaron Brown, told NBC Los Angeles that his daughter was his “sweet little baby” and said she loved the beach. Officials said the coroner’s office will handle further information about the child’s identity and the cause and manner of death. No criminal allegations had been announced as of Thursday.
The death came during a stretch of unusually dangerous surf along parts of Southern California. The National Weather Service reported that beaches facing south and southwest were seeing large swells tied to winter storms in the Southern Hemisphere. Surf in Orange County had reached about 10 feet, above the area’s more typical surf height, according to weather officials. Laguna Beach had issued warnings about high surf and rip currents before and during the search. Lifeguards also kept some beachgoers out of the water Wednesday near the Montage Resort area as crews worked along the coast.
Mayor Mark Orgill called the death one of the most heartbreaking incidents he had seen while serving the community. “Our hearts go out to the young victim’s family, friends, and all those affected by this tragic loss,” Orgill said. The mayor also praised marine safety, fire, police and partner agencies that searched in dangerous water. Capt. Stacey Crecy, commander of Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach, said the decision to suspend a search is extremely difficult and offered condolences to the family.
The search drew rescue boats, divers, aircraft and shoreline crews to the coves and beaches around Treasure Island Beach, a scenic stretch of coast below the Montage Laguna Beach resort. Photos from the search showed lifeguards and park staff watching the water as waves broke close to shore. A lifeguard rescue boat moved through the area Wednesday while beach visitors stood back from the surf. The same conditions that made the shoreline dangerous also made underwater searching difficult, officials said.
By Thursday afternoon, officials had shifted from search operations to notification and coroner procedures. The city said additional details would come from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Coroner Division. The next formal step is the coroner’s review of the death, including the cause and manner. Laguna Beach officials said the family had been notified.
Author note: Last updated June 12, 2026.