Woman Drowns Trying To Save Dog At NorCal Beach

BODEGA BAY, Calif. (AP) -- Authorities say a 51-year-old Auburn woman has drowned off the Sonoma coast after jumping into the cold, choppy water to rescue her dog.

Sonoma County Sheriff's Sgt. Dave Thompson tells the Press Democrat of Santa Rosa that Cynthia Alta Watkins-Becker and her husband were walking with their two pugs Friday morning on Portuguese Beach near Bodega Bay when a wave swept of one of the dogs into the water.

Thompson says Watkins-Becker ran in to retrieve the animal and was overpowered by the 10-foot-high surf.

She was in the water about 20 to 25 minutes before her body washed ashore and her husband and others were able to pull her out. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The dog also died.