Crime & Safety

Mission Viejo High Grad Found Dead in Ocean

The body of a Mission Viejo woman was found in the ocean 20 miles north of Santa Barbara, authorities said Wednesday.

Kayla Hallee, 20, was found dead in the water near Tajiguas Beach Tuesday around 2:15 p.m. according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Office.

Exactly how and why she died is being investigated through an autopsy and toxicology report, officials said.

It was unclear whether she was connected to an abandoned kayak found several miles away near Vista Point around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, a statement from the coroner said.

Hallee's Facebook page indicates she was a Mission Viejo High School graduate attending UC Santa Cruz, and that she belonged to the UCSC Kayak Club.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office at 805-681-4100.


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