Sonoma County sheriff's officials Sunday said a 7-year-old San Francisco child injured over the weekend by a boat propeller on Lake Sonoma was expected to survive.
However his injuries were significant and he was expected to be transferred from Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital to a children's hospital, Sgt. Ed Hoener, who runs the sheriff's marine unit.
The boy, whose name was not released, had been tubing with his family Saturday afternoon, officials said.
A marine unit was patrolling in the Dry Creek arm of the lake just after 4:20 p.m. when a boater flagged them down and yelled for them to call 911.
A chiropractor was on board and was addressing the boy's wounds and the deputies told them to boat to a nearby location where the sheriff's Henry-1 helicopter paramedic team could reach them, Hoener said.
Initial reports indicated that a tow rope had become caught in the prop and pulled the boy into the moving propeller.
However detectives Sunday said the boy may have been either climbing into our out of the boat and somehow came in contact with the prop.
The boy suffered deep cuts on both legs, groin and stomach area, Hoener said.
Alcohol was not considered a factor in the incident, Hoener said.
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