Man, Dog Die After Falling Into LA River Dam In Long Beach

LONG BEACH, CA — A man and a dog drowned Sunday afternoon when they fell into a dam in the Los Angeles River in Long Beach, according to authorities. A four-year-old was also hospitalized in the incident.

Authorities say the man, a four-year-old child, one other person and a dog were by the river's edge near the low head dam around 3:15 p.m. when they slipped into the water.

The man and the dog were pronounced dead at the scene by arriving crews, according to the Long Beach Fire Department. A four-year-old child was taken to a local trauma center for treatment, though his condition was not known. Meanwhile, a fourth person required no medical attention but was taken to a local hospital for assessment, the LBFD said.

The man who died was identified Monday as Khrystopher Lemus, 40, of Long Beach. It's unclear what the group was doing by the river.

Low head dams are structures built across rivers or streams to help water flow continuously over the crest from bank to bank, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. They create dangerous, turbulent currents and are often referred to as "drowning machines."

City News Service contributed to this report.