A summer week at a historic Michigan scout camp turned tragic last night when an 11-year-old boy from River Forest was fatally struck by a falling tree while walking a trail at Owasippe Scout Reservation in Blue Lake Township, authorities said. The camper was rushed for medical care but did not survive. Muskegon County deputies said the death remains under investigation.
What officials told reporters
According to MLive, Muskegon County deputies said the incident happened shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday when a tree came down on the boy as he walked along a camp trail. "The camper died from the injuries sustained from the tree falling on him," the sheriff's office said in a statement to the outlet.
Deputies told reporters the camper is from River Forest, Illinois, and that the boy's name has not been released while investigators continue their work and the family is notified.
At the camp
Owasippe is one of the nation's oldest scout reservations, with trails and programs that date back to the camp's founding in 1911, according to the Pathway to Adventure Council. The reservation sits outside Twin Lake and lists an administration center at 9900 Russell Road.
The property covers roughly 4,800 acres, based on national camp listings, and the camp's own materials describe an extensive trail network that winds through preserved land and waterfronts used by resident camps each summer.
Response and investigation
Emergency crews converged on the scene after the call came in. Deputies were assisted by Blue Lake Township firefighters, White Lake Ambulance and Muskegon County Victim Services, according to reporting by the Oceana County Press. Authorities say the area was secured while first responders worked and while investigators documented the scene.
As of the latest updates, officials have not released additional details about what caused the tree to fall or any conditions that may have been a factor. The investigation is ongoing, with law enforcement and camp leaders cooperating, deputies said.
Wider context
Hoodline previously covered a 2025 drowning at Owasippe that reverberated through the local scouting community, underscoring the kinds of risks that can surface at remote camps where kids are hiking, swimming and exploring outdoors.
Nationally, similar accidents involving falling trees near camps and playgrounds have at times led to lawsuits and closer scrutiny of safety practices. Recent reporting from the Los Angeles Times detailed one such fatality at a Southern California camp and the multimillion-dollar settlement that followed. Those cases remain rare, but they often spark renewed focus on tree assessments, maintenance and other safety protocols.
Local officials have so far offered only limited information as the Muskegon County Sheriff's Office and camp leadership continue their review, according to MLive. This story will be updated as authorities release more details.
