The death of 26-year-old Bryn Waite, whose body was discovered in the ocean near La Jolla Shores Beach in July, has been ruled an accidental drowning, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Waite was found floating in the water on the morning of July 22, 2026, after emergency personnel were called to the area. Lifeguards brought her to shore, but she was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
The Medical Examiner’s investigation later determined that drowning was the cause of death and classified the manner of death as an accident. The official record lists her time of death as 9:34 a.m. on July 22.
The case had remained pending while the postmortem examination was completed. Earlier information released after Waite was found indicated that authorities had not yet determined how she died.
The San Diego Police Department investigated the circumstances surrounding her death. The Medical Examiner’s record lists no contributing conditions.
The incident occurred offshore from La Jolla Shores Beach, a well-known coastal area in San Diego. Authorities initially responded after receiving a report of an unresponsive person floating in the ocean.
With the Medical Examiner’s determination now complete, the death has been officially classified as an accidental drowning.
