On May 8, 2022, at about 1:00 p.m., the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a missing 8-year-old child from a campsite near Bear Canyon Lake. While responding, a second report was made that the juvenile had been located and had been involved in an accident.
The subsequent investigation revealed the Mesa area family had been camping near Bear Canyon Lake when the child went missing. The child had reportedly taken the family’s ATV. The family immediately reported the incident to the camp host and began looking for the missing child.
A short time later family members located the ATV and the child down a steep embankment. The child was not breathing and was transported by private vehicle to a location where they met with medical personnel. The child was pronounced deceased on scene.
The investigation is ongoing by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.