(Photo by Keith Durflinger/Whittier Daily News/SCNG)

WHITTIER >> The Whittier community grieved Sunday as authorities continued their investigation into what caused a massive eucalyptus tree to topple onto a wedding party at Penn Park in Whittier on Saturday night, leaving one woman dead and five other people injured, including a 4-year-old girl who was hospitalized in critical condition.
Witnesses reported the group was taking pictures beneath the 100-foot-tall tree at Penn Park, 13950 Penn Street, when it suddenly uprooted and fell, transforming what began as a celebration into a scene of tragedy.
The identity of the woman killed in the freak accident was not yet available Sunday, Los Angeles County Department of Medical-Examiner Investigator Rudy Molano said. The relationships between the woman who died, as well as the badly injured child, to the bride and groom were unclear.
“The important thing is to focus on the family, to let them know that this community is behind them, and that we’re praying for them,” Whittier Mayor Joe Vinatieri said.
“It was supposed to be one of the most exciting days of their lives, and instead, it turned into what it turned into,” he said.
“There’s so many people in Whittier… who are upset, as am I, asking, ‘What can we do?’” the mayor said. “The best we can do right now is pray for that family and pray for that child, and let the family know that we care.”
Penn Park will remain closed to the public indefinitely as authorities investigate what caused the large eucalyptus tree to fall, City Manager Jeff Collier said.
An arborist is expected to inspect the scene on Monday or Tuesday, he said.
It was too early to say what may have caused the tree to fall, according to Collier.
“We can’t speculate until we have the arborist come out here and investigate,” he said.
Until then, officials will not remove the debris.
“We want to preserve the scene at this point. We want to make sure we have a chance to see everything as it exists today,” Collier said.
While the city already has an ongoing program to maintain and inspect trees, officials are also in the process of double-checking the integrity of the many other towering trees in Penn Park, City Manager Jeff Collier said.
Police guarded the scene to keep away trespassers Sunday morning, as crews went through the debris to retrieve belongings of the victims.
The park, which is staffed by city officials seven days a week, is a popular site with wedding parties and other celebrations. Groups can often be seen posing for pictures beneath the park’s giant trees.
“What’s intrinsically wonderful about it is those trees,” Vinatieri said.
As the investigation progresses, “The important thing is to focus on that family,” Vinatieri said. “There’s an outpouring of concern, sadness and prayer.”
Injuries due to sudden tree falls are uncommon, but not unheard of in the region.
Eight children were injured, two of them critically, when an 85-foot-tall Italian stone pine tree toppled over at the Kidpace Museum in Pasadena on July 28, 2015.
That incident also occurred following a bout of heavy rain amid years of drought.
Saturday’s accident in Whittier took place within days of the Southern California’s first significant storm of the winter.
An arborist concluded the tree in Pasadena likely fell because it was taking in more water than it could release, increasing its weight, coupled with weak roots on two sides of the tree.
The family of 6-year-old twins injured in the incident have since filed a lawsuit against the museum alleging the incident was the result of negligence and failure to maintain the tree. Kidspace Museum subsequently filed a claim against the city of Pasadena, arguing that the city is liable for any legal costs or damages associated with the incident.