Teen attacked by shark in Encinitas is released from children’s hospital

A 13-year-old boy attacked by a shark Saturday morning while lobster diving at Beacon’s Beach in Encinitas was released from the hospital where he was being treated, officials said Thursday.

Keane Webre-Hayes was critically injured in the attack, which left him with traumatic wounds to the upper left side of his body. Doctors on Monday said he was recovering from surgery and in serious condition in the intensive care unit at Rady Children’s Hospital.

On Thursday, he was “no longer a patient at Rady Children’s Hospital,” spokesman Carlos Delgado said.

It was not clear when the teen left the hospital or whether he was headed straight home or to another care facility. Delgado said patient privacy laws and a privacy request by Webre-Hayes’ family prevented him from further commenting on the boy’s status.

Dr. Tim Fairbanks, the chief of pediatric surgery and the medical director for trauma at the children’s hospital, said Monday that Keane had a message he wanted to share.

“Keane wants you to know he has all his limbs,” Fairbanks said. “And he’s going to be going home fully intact.”

A stretch of beach where the teen was attacked was closed throughout the weekend. Lifeguards reopened the beach Monday morning after no other shark sightings were reported by lifeguards or members of the public.

Samples swabbed from the teen’s wetsuit have been sent to a geneticist in hopes of identifying what kind of shark bit him, said Chris Lowe, director of the Shark Lab at Cal State Long Beach.

Determining what kind of shark bit Keane will help authorities better understand the behavior patterns of sharks and what risks people face in the region’s waters.

A GoFundMe account for Keane has raised more than $35,000.

Riggins writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com