VIDEO: Fall at Honomanu Claims Life of Child

Photo of incident area of Honomanu. Photo courtesy Maui Police CID/Evidence.

[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4TxfJzW8HM /] By Wendy Osher

(UPDATE: 11 a.m., 6/4/12; POSTED: 6 a.m. 6/4/12)

A 12-year-old boy visiting from Chula Vista, California, suffered fatal injuries in a fall from a steep cliff at Honomanu Bay on Sunday.

According to police reports released today, authorities say the boy fell approximately 300 to 350 feet from a lookout located on the Keanae side of Honomanu Bay near mile post marker 14.75 on Hana Highway.

The incident was reported at 10:41 a.m. on Sunday, June 3, 2012.

Police said a preliminary investigation revealed that the boy was with his family and as their rental vehicle parked at the lookout, the victim quickly exited the vehicle and ran toward the dirt hill at the lookout.

This a photo of the scene from across the bay. You can see the road and the scene is just to the left of the middle and the victim was found at the bottom just above the water line. Photo courtesy Maui Police.

According to witnesses’ statements, police said the victim’s mother, Tanya Lopez, exited the vehicle after her son, and called out to her son; however, the boy continued and suddenly disappeared over the edge.

Rescue crews from the Maui Fire Department’s Jet Ski unit launched from Honomanu Bay to retrieve the boy from the ocean.

Medics on shore attempted to resuscitate the child, but were unsuccessful.

Police said the victim sustained massive head trauma and subsequently succumbed to his injuries. The victim, identified as Cristian Lopez, was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.

Also responding to the scene were the Maui Fire Department’s Engine 7, Utility 7, Air-1 helicopter and Rescue 10 from Kahului.