Boy pulled from ocean dies

-- Deepa Bharath

A 12-year-old boy who was pulled from the surf by Newport Beach

lifeguards last week after a big wave swept him and a 10-year-old girl off their bodyboards has died, officials said Tuesday.

Daniel Quijada of Santa Ana swallowed too much water before he was

rescued, said Newport Beach Fire Capt. John Blauer.

The boy died at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Children’s Hospital of Orange

County, two days after the incident, according to the Orange County

coroner’s office. The cause of death was listed as “saltwater drowning.”

Daniel and his friend were bodyboarding off the far south end of Big

Corona past the jetty when a big wave caused them both to lose their

boards, Blauer said.

The girl was breathing but Daniel did not have a pulse and was not

breathing when lifeguards pulled them out of the water, Blauer said. The

girl is fine and is back home, he said.

Daniel tried to save the girl’s life, Blauer said.

Lifeguards said the area where Daniel drowned can be tricky and

dangerous even on days when there is no big surf.