Tree falls on mother during family trip to Los Angeles Zoo

LOS ANGELES – A woman is recovering from a broken rib after she was struck and trapped by a falling tree during her family’s first trip to the Los Angeles Zoo.

It happened Tuesday at a time when gusty winds were knocking down trees throughout the L.A. area.

Maria Martinez of Huntington Park tells KNBC-TV she took her three kids to the zoo because she had a day off and there was a teachers’ strike.

The falling pine tree briefly knocked her unconscious.

Her 11-year-old son and two other people were treated for less serious injuries.

Martinez and her husband hold restaurant jobs without health insurance. The family hopes the zoo will cover the medical expenses.

A spokeswoman says the family should contact the zoo to learn how to seek financial reimbursement.