El Dorado County (March 25, 2024)
On 3-24
At 1:13pm, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from an 18-year-old male who reported that he and his 21-year-old brother had been attacked by a mountain lion in a remote area of Darling Ridge Rd. and Skid Rd., Georgetown, CA. The reporting party suffered traumatic injuries to his face and was separated from his brother during the attack. At 1:34pm EDSO Deputies and Paramedics arrived in the area, located the reporting party and began to administer aid to him. Additional Deputies began the search for the unaccounted brother. At around 1:46pm Deputies observed a crouched mountain lion next to a subject on the ground. The mountain lion was between the Deputies and the subject on the ground. Deputies discharged their firearms scaring the mountain lion off so they could render aid. Unfortunately, the male subject was deceased.
Wardens and Trappers from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife along with the El Dorado County Trapper responded to the area, located the mountain lion, and dispatched it.
3-25
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office has identified the two brothers involved in the horrific mountain lion attack on Saturday March 23rd as 21 year old Taylen Robert Claude Brooks of Mt. Aukum, Ca and 18 year old Wyatt Brooks of Mt. Aukum, Ca.
Taylen Brooks tragically lost his life during the mountain lion attack and Wyatt Brooks is recovering from the traumatic injuries he sustained in the attack.
The attached document is the official statement provided to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office by the Brooks family.
Official Statement from the Brooks/Welsh Family and Wyatt Brooks
Date: March 25, 2024
From the family:
We would like to express our sincere thanks for the outpouring of support and prayers from family, friends and the community. We are all devastated by the tragic loss of Taylen yet thankful Wyatt is still with us and are well- aware the outcome could have been even worse.
Taylen and Wyatt grew up in Southern El Dorado County where they enjoyed hunting and fishing together, almost daily. These two young men being as close as any two brothers could be, lived a full energetic life enjoying the outdoors.
Wyatt Jay Charles Brooks, age 18 Wyatt has been in the Mt. Adams Fire Academy since last September, he aspires to be hired with Cal Fire. He is an avid baseball player and an ardent bow hunting enthusiast.
Taylen Robert Claude Brooks, age 21 Taylen worked with his father, Aaron painting houses and cutting firewood and loved being outdoors. He truly enjoyed fishing and was an extremely talented guitar player. He was a very kind and gentle soul and will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
A brother is a friend given by nature. These two brothers were driven by nature.
What happened:
On Saturday, March 23 around 1:00 pm, Taylen and Wyatt were walking along Skid Road in the area of Kelsey, California which is near the town of Georgetown. They had gone to the area in search of deer antler sheds. A pastime they did together frequently this time of year before the spring grasses became too tall to see the shed antlers in the wild. Saturday was also opening day of junior turkey hunting season, so they did not take any firearms with them so as not to draw any attention from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Wyatt carried a small backpack to carry the antlers they were hoping to find.
While walking along the dirt roadway, looking to the edges and woodlands along the roadway for shed antlers, they observed a mountain lion walk up to the road from the lower side. The lion saw and approached the two. Both Taylen and Wyatt did what they had always learned, they raised their hands in the air to appear larger, yelled at the lion and Wyatt even threw his backpack at the lion, all in an attempt to scare the lion away.
Instead of retreat, the lion immediately charged Wyatt, bit down on his face and took Wyatt to the ground. While Taylen beat on and yelled at the lion, Wyatt was able to wrestle the lion to the ground with him on top of the lion. The lion began clawing at Wyatts midsection causing Wyatt to release his grip.
At that point, the lion released Wyatt, got up and charged Taylen, biting Taylen in the throat and taking Taylen to the ground.
Wyatt, with severe lacerations to his face, beat on and grabbed the lion in an attempt to get him to release Taylen. After some time trying to get the lion off Taylen, Wyatt tried to call 911 for help. With limited cell service in the area, Wyatt ran back toward where they had parked his vehicle where he eventually obtained cell service and called 911.
After calling 911, Wyatt quickly got into his vehicle and drove to where he had left Taylen and the lion in hopes the presence of his vehicle would scare the lion off but when he arrived, Taylen and the lion were gone.
Wyatt drove back to the intersection of Darling Ridge and Skid Road where he met with El Dorado County Deputies who rendered first aid until medics arrived. The medics then transported Wyatt to Marshall Medical Hospital in Placerville where he was evaluated and then transported to UC Davis Health in Sacramento for reconstructive surgery of the major lacerations to his face and neck.
After leaving Wyatt in the care of the medics, the Deputies responded to the area described by Wyatt where the attack took place and began searching the area. Nearby, away from the roadway, they observed a mountain lion crouching near the body of a male subject later determined to be Taylen. They did not know at that time if Taylen was still alive or not and due to the close proximity of the lion, could not fire their weapons directly at the lion so rather fired them in a safe direction in hopes of scaring the lion away so they could render medical aid to Taylen.
The lion did run away and upon reaching Taylen, found he had succumbed to the lions attack and was already deceased. Instead of tracking the lion at that point, knowing it could and probably would travel a great distance if chased, they stayed with Taylen until the investigation could be concluded and his body retrieved from the area.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with an El Dorado County Trapper, arrived in the area and tracked the lion for approximately 100 yards where it was found treed. It was there the lion was dispatched.
Wyatt is home recuperating from the tragic ordeal.
Support: To donate in memory of Taylen and support for Wyatt – please see the official site at El Dorado Community Foundation and donate to the Brooks Brothers Support Fund. Donations are tax deductible.
VIA El Dorado Community Foundation at
https://edcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=3277
