A teenage girl was killed Monday morning, June 16, after falling while hiking, Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan reported.
According to Duncan, at 11:09 a.m. Monday, Linn County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a 911 call requesting help for a 17-year-old female who had fallen and was not breathing while hiking on the Soda Creek Falls Trail behind Cascadia State Park, east of Sweet Home.
Deputies learned from the investigation that the victim was from Texas and had been hiking with her father, who lives in the local area, on various trails during her visit. They had just started up
the trail when the victim jumped up or climbed a tree to hang from a branch approximately six inches in diameter. The branch broke, causing her to fall onto a log, with the branch falling on top of her.
The girl, who was not named by the Sheriff’s Office, eventually lost consciousness so her father tried to drag her out to where he could get her help. Bystanders assisted with CPR until Sweet Home Fire Department arrived and took over.
Medics eventually pronounced her dead at the scene.
Linn County deputies were assisted by Sweet Home Fire Department and the Linn County Parks staff.