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Couple Dies After Being Swept to Sea in Effort to Save Family Dog

Nov. 26, 2012 6:40am Billy Hallowell

Couple Die in Eureka, CA After Being Swept to Sea Over Family Dog

Photo Credit: AP

EUREKA, Calif. (TheBlaze/AP) — Family members trying to rescue their dog from powerful surf in Northern California were swept out to sea, leaving a couple dead and their 16-year-old son missing, authorities said.

Waves reaching 10 feet in height pulled the dog into the ocean as it ran to retrieve a stick at Big Lagoon, a beach north of Eureka, said Dana Jones, a state Parks and Recreation district superintendent. The family, reacting to this development, attempted to save the dog.

Jones said the boy went after the dog, prompting his father to go after them. She said the teenager was able to get out, but when he didn’t see his father, he and his mother went into the water looking for him.

“Both were dragged into the ocean,” Jones said of Saturday’s tragedy.

The Times-Standard reports the couple’s daughter called police.

Jones said a park ranger had to run a half mile to get to the beach because his car wasn’t made to handle the terrain. When he arrived, he wasn’t able to get to them because of the high surf, she said.

Rescuers eventually retrieved the mother’s body and the father’s body washed up.

The dog got out of the water on its own, Jones said.

The Coast Guard deployed a helicopter and two motor life boats to search for the teenager, but the aerial search was suspended by thick coastal fog.

A call seeking the status of the Coast Guard’s search on Sunday wasn’t immediately returned.

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Comments (24)

Halloween
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 8:27pm
….This just in, the dogs name is “Darwin” Ha ha ha ha!

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Alan
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 7:46pm
You’ve got to raise the kids to understand, pets are replaceable, not to risk your life for. It’s just tragic this happened. A terrible and wholly preventable chain of events.

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- Halloween
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 8:26pm
  Raise your kids to be bleeding heart Liberals and that is what you get. On behalf of PETA, Thank you for being great parents. lol
  
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Halloween
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 7:41pm
I know you are all dying to know….did that Californian family vote for Obama??? I would lay odds that they are Liberals.

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RRFlyer
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 11:26am
You people didn’t read the article right. It was a series of tragic accidents. ONLY the 16 year old boy went after the dog. The rest went in to find each other. The father went in for the son. The son made it out, but he and his mom went in to find the Dad. No one went in for the dog except the boy initially. So don’t be so harsh on them trying to save each other. If you wouldn’t risk your life for a family member, no matter why they are in trouble, I have no sympathy for you.

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US-First
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 11:18am
So many of you missed what actually happened in this story it amazes me that you understand any story that you read. Only ONE person went in to save the dog and that was the 16 year old male who by the way made it out that time. The father went in to get his son. Then the Mother and Son (who made it out the first time) went in to get the Father. This family did not place the pets life higher than their own as so many of you blab.

Even if you don’t own a boat, always have a couple life vests or flotation devices with you when playing near the water and especially an ocean. It is a lot easier to save someone when you buckle on a flotation vest and its a lot easier to bring them back if you have something for them to hold onto that floats besides yourself. Why always rely on public or private lifeguards when these devices are so cheap and easy to bring along. Sure you won’t need them 99% of the time but the 1% can take your life and that of your loved one.

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- muddpuddle
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 11:50pm
  That’s a great idea……. Never thought of it before, but I believe I will do that from now on.
  
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The_Pointy_End
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 11:00am
Tragic…..so the daughter lost her parents and brother all for the dog. Follow-up question: does she keep the dog?

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jungle J
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 9:11am
I love my dogs but I will eat them if I am starving…that is sanity.

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- CABERNETQHS
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 9:24am
  I love my dog too. Won’t eat her scrawny butt though…I store food for her and her human pets.
  
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- Johnny Cocheroo
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 12:35pm
  Maybe they plan on eating you first.
  
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Bohump
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 8:50am
I Think I Would Have Let the Dog Go.

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jrc99
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 8:39am
Very sad! Sounds like more victims of rip tides. Will be praying for the families.

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- txannie
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 10:48am
  Sad. The dog will instinctively handle the rip tide and get out. Humans will fight to exhaustion and drown. Call the dog, walk along the beach in the direction of the rip and the dog will eventually reach shore, unless, of course, a shark gets it. Either way, sad situation. Shows what people will do for their pets they love though.
  
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Auntie izlam
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 7:58am
That is absolutely heart breaking.

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jackact
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 7:54am
A tragic story.
The bond we in the west have with our pets is stronger than the respect Muslims have for their women in the middle east.
And then some.

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- Auntie izlam
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 7:59am
  How true! Well said.
  
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TellMeTrue
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 7:44am
You never know what the day will bring when you wake up in the morning. Hug the ones that you hold dear, let them that know you love them.

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SacredHonor1776
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 7:41am
You shouldn’t be surprised how common this story is. People try to rescue family dog and die. dog gets out safely on its own. People need to learn and understand the ways of the sea.

It’s up there with people going out on the receding ocean during a tsunami.

Still it’s a tragic story, every time it happens..

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- Mustanger
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 9:48am
  Years ago here in northern Nevada, the same thing happened. A dog jumped out of a truck at a hot spring in a very desolate spot. The temperature in the water is over 200°. Dog goes in, man goes in to save dog, friend goes in to safe man. All were boiled alive. Sad.
  I love my animals, horses, dogs and goat. I have to put some others down for one reason or another. I would not put my animals at risk through lack of training or my lack of awareness.
  
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biohazard23
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 7:31am
Oh my…

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N37BU6
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 7:16am
Ugh…

:(

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Gonzo
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 7:09am
Tragic.

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americansfightingforcommonsense
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:55am
Very Sad… May the Lord comfort any of the family that survived.

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