California woman falls to death while reaching out to help teen who slipped on waterfall ledge
Sarah Louise Crocker, 48, fell at Three Sisters Falls in the Cleveland National Forest
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A California woman fell to her death on Thursday after she lost her footing while reaching out to help a teen who had slipped on the ledge of a waterfall, authorities said.
Sarah Louise Crocker, 48, was supervising a group of four teenagers just before 10 a.m. at Three Sisters Falls in the Cleveland National Forest in Descanso when the accident occurred, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said.
Responding deputies learned that the group was hiking along the ledge of one of the falls when one of the teens slipped.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The woman supervising the teenagers attempted to keep the girl from going over the ledge," the sheriff’s department said in a statement. "Unfortunately, both the woman and girl fell and suffered severe injuries."
Sarah Louise Crocker, 48, fell to her death while trying to help a teen who had slipped while hiking on a ledge at Three Sisters Falls in California's Cleveland National Forest on Thursday. (U.S. Forest Service)
Crocker and the teen, a family friend, both landed in the bottom-most pool of water after plummeting from the ledge, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bystanders who witnessed the fall immediately began CPR on Crocker until first responders arrived. But medical personnel were unable to resuscitate her. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Cleveland National Forest is located in an unincorporated area of Descanso, California. (U.S. Forest Service)
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The teen survived the plunge and was airlifted to a hospital for severe but non-life-threatening injuries, the sheriff’s office said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Cleveland National Forest has numerous trails, including the 5.5-mile Three Sisters Falls. (U.S. Forest Service)
Crocker’s cause of death was from multiple blunt force injuries, especially to her chest and right pelvis with drowning, according to the medical examiner. The death was ruled an accident.
Crocker, a California native, lived in Ladera Ranch and is survived by her husband and their two children, according to a GoFundMe page created for her family.