Fundraising effort underway for victim of shark attack

SAN ONOFRE – A fundraising effort was underway today to help offset medical expenses projected as a result of a shark attack that left a Vista mother of three severely injured at San Onofre State Beach over the weekend.

Leeanne Ericson was swimming at the beach near Camp Pendleton Saturday evening when the shark "tore her right back leg from her glute to her knee,'' according to a GoFundMe page called "Leanne's medical fund.'' It has raised more than $8,400.

The victim's mother, Christine McKnerney Leidle, wrote that Ericson almost drowned during the attack and now ``has a long road ahead with several surgeries to go.''

Authorities closed the beach in the vicinity of an area called "Church'' and may keep the closure in place for up to 72 hours.

Great white sharks have been breaching waves in the area over the past month, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Saturday's attack was only the 11th recorded in the area in the past seven decades, the newspaper reported. The last fatal shark attack in San Diego County was off Fletcher Cove in 2008.