As a family picnicked near the ocean on Sunday afternoon, a wave rushed out and fatally swept away a 10-year-old girl’s parents.
Oregon State Police said that 41-year-old Wenjun Zhu and 49-year-old Miaochan Chen were enjoying family time off of Depoe Bay with their daughter when they decided to walk toward some rocks that stand directly next to the ocean, KREM2 reported.
The family had just moved to Lake Oswego, Oregon, in July from China, according to KOIN.
Once down on the rocks, a wave took the couple by surprise and pulled them out into the sea, OregonLive reported. The wave did not hit the girl.
Zhu and Chen were discovered by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew, but died at a nearby hospital after being rescued from the waters, KOIN reported.
Their daughter is now in foster care as the Department of Human Services works to find her a home.