A day at a Sonoma Coast campground turned tragic on Sunday when a 4-year-old girl was fatally struck by a motor home inside Salt Point State Park, according to emergency officials. Crews rushed to free the child from underneath the vehicle, and she was airlifted to a children's hospital in Oakland, but authorities later confirmed she did not survive.
What officials said
The California Highway Patrol's Santa Rosa office responded after a 911 caller reported that a child was trapped under a motor home at the Gerstle Cove campground. Fire and park rescue crews used jacks to lift the RV and pull the girl out, and then she was flown out with major injuries. The CHP later notified reporters that the 4-year-old did not survive, according to the East Bay Times.
Salt Point State Park context
Salt Point is a rugged stretch of Sonoma coastline, known for its bluffs, coves and campground loops that sit a long way from major roads. Vehicle access is limited and tightly managed, so emergency responses often require coordination with park staff to move large rigs in and out safely. The parks official page lists camping rules, vehicle-size limits and ranger contact information that come into play when big RVs operate inside the campgrounds. Those facility details help explain how responders reached the remote shoreline site and managed the scene, according to California State Parks.
Medical response
The girl was flown to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, a major pediatric center that regularly handles severe trauma cases and critical-care transfers from around the Bay Area. The Oakland campus provides pediatric emergency and intensive-care services, including trauma care for children, according to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland.
Investigation underway
CHP investigators are examining how the motor home ended up moving over the child. The agency told reporters that the RV moved backward into the girl because it was mistakenly in reverse instead of drive. Officials have asked anyone with information about what happened at the campground to contact the CHP Santa Rosa office, the agency said, as reported by the East Bay Times.
