A 4-year-old girl has been killed in a fall from the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
Park officials say the unidentified girl fell about 450 feet off the rim about 11:30 this morning from a point just west of Mather Point, the most popular scenic view in the park.
The girl's father scrambled down the cliff below the rim to reach his daughter. When rescue crews arrived on scene, the father had already begun CPR; however, the girl was pronounced dead on scene shortly thereafter, the park reported.
The South Entrance Road along Mather Point was closed for a short time while a long-haul operation was conducted to remove the girl's body from the canyon. The father was then removed via a short haul operation due to an ankle injury sustained from scrambling over the edge.
National Park Service rangers are investigating the accident.
Support Essential Coverage of Essential Places
Comments
My first reaction was close to Steve but after thinking a bit, I can't help but feel bad for the parents and the guilt that they must shoulder for the rest of their lives. However, parks that are great for families are not necessarily child-safe proof nor should they be. Nature can be dangerous and families and children need to be educated on this and made aware of these dangers.
Nature is beautiful,alluring and spectacular.
And on the other side of the coin, harsh and un-compromising.
My most heart felt condolences go out to the parents of this child after this most unfortunate event.
This should remind us all how precious life is and how quick things can change in a moment and when in a unfamiliar places we should be extra cautious and on guard.
Again,me and my family send our best wishes to those involved.God Bless.
This is such a tragic incident, and while I do think the parents could have been watching her more carefully, accidents do happen, and in most cases they are not as fatal as this. This should remind us how lucky we are to be alive. My heart goes out to the mother and father, and the young girl whose life was tragically cut short.
This accident just happened when my family and I arrived at the Grand Canyon. I was shocked when I heard that a young girl went over the rim and the rescue mission just started upon our arrival. I did not think about it before, but was quite surprised how much of the rim is not secured by a fence. I was even more surprised when I saw several people during this visit sitting or lying literally at the edge of a rock! There is a drop-off of at least 300 ft right below them. I also saw several little children walking around with their parents who were NOT holding them. It was a hard breaking scene at the South Rim and I keep thinking about it.
It was my first visit at the Grand Canyon and it was a great experience, unfortunately, the accident was always in the back in my mind.
This is a very tragic accident to be sure. But I hope that it does not prompt the NPS to install more fences at the rim. People do take foolish risks at the rim. They stand on crumbling rocks. They get way to close to the edge. They hop from outcropping to outcropping with only 400 feet of air underneath them. Read "Over the Edge" by Michael Ghiglieri which details how dangerous the Grand Canyon is however most of that danger is due to people being unprepared or negligent. The beauty of the canyon should not be marred by more fencing. There are ample warning signs all along the rim, (for those for whom the dangers aren't already obvious).
The national parks with their beauty and one-of-a-kind appeal tend to keep parents and others from considering the potential dangers which may exist as well. Children, unless they are restrained by a rope from parent to child or by the stern warnings given beforehand to stay close and not run ahead, will inevitably be attracted to and run to see what lies ahead (a view from the rim, a steaming geyser pool, etc..) Parents should be forewarned, "Keep Your Child Close!"
My husband and I visited the Grand Canyon in September of this year - 2007. We rode the train up to the Village and walked along the sidewalks near the hotels and shops. Even though there was a rock wall, it didn't cover the entire area and it was only about two-to-three feet tall, maybe not even that tall. It had a rim/edge on top that you could sit on. Anyone could fall over if they were not careful. I would never let a child sit there for fear they might fall. There were even openings along the walkway that had no barriers at all. I made sure I stayed away from those areas and was always on the alert.
Any child that is active and likes to run just for the fun of it, could easily run off the sidewalks and fall. Parents would have to be ever vigilent on this type of trip. But even a grownup could slip if they got too close.
We noticed all along the east scenic drive that there were areas that you could stop to look and there were some railings but you could still see paths that others had worn to get to areas without a railing. Anyone could fall easily if they got too close to the edge, either by loose rocks or not paying attention. We even saw an older couple who had their picture taken and they were standing about two feet from the edge. I thought they were crazy and I was the one taking their picture. It was scary! No way would I get that close. I don't have a death wish.
My principal was the Grandfather of this tragedy and left the school to go to Arizona for the funeral an dgrieve with his family for two weeks it stunk.