8-year-old Mesa child dies after ATV crash near Forest Lakes in Coconino County

An 8-year-old Mesa child died after crashing while riding an ATV on Sunday near Forest Lakes, according to the Coconino County Sheriff's Office. 

The sheriff's office said the child's family was camping near Bear Canyon Lake when the child went missing and had taken the family's all-terrain vehicle. 

The family reported the incident and began looking for the child. Shortly after, family members found the ATV and the child who was not breathing down a steep embankment, according to the sheriff's office.

The child was taken to a location to meet with medical personnel where he was pronounced dead on scene. 

The sheriff's office and the Coconino County Medical Examiner's Office are investigating the incident. 

"The Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public to wear recommended safety equipment and follow all applicable state and federal laws regarding the safe use of ATVs while recreating," the sheriff's office said in a news release. 

Reach breaking news reporter Angela Cordoba Perez at Angela.CordobaPerez@Gannett.com or on Twitter @AngelaCordobaP.

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