ST. GEORGE — A teen reported missing was found dead two hours later at the bottom of Horseshoe Bend Overlook after what appears to be an accidental fall Monday, authorities say.
The 14-year-old girl, who has not been identified, was last seen by her family near the overlook at around 2 p.m. and was reported missing at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve, according to a statement released by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.
Coconino County Search and Rescue and the Arizona Department of Public Safety began a search of the area. The teen’s body was later spotted by a DPS helicopter crew approximately 700 feet below the overlook.
With nightfall quickly approaching, rescuers were unable to recover the girl’s body until the following day at 10 a.m., after which it was taken to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office in Flagstaff, Arizona, for an autopsy.
Authorities believe the fall was an accident, but the investigation into the girl’s death is still active pending review by the medical examiner’s office.
The family was visiting from San Jose, California, when the incident occurred.
Horseshoe Bend is located just south of Page, Arizona, in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. In recent years it has become an increasingly popular tourist stop.
This report is based on statements from police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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I’m still surprised more people don’t fall off angel’s landing. I admit it, when I was up there last time I chickened out. I had myself all amped up to do it, but when I got past the first set of chains I had to admit to myself that I’m still a wuss. I have a phobia of 1000 ft vertical cliffs; what can i do?
It seems like once a month they find a body at the bottom of this very overlook. They should probably look into putting up some kind of safety features to prevent this from happening. A family on vacation from out of state loses their precious 14 year old daughter on Christmas Eve? My heart totally breaks for this family 🙁
i believe there was one other death there this year. its not common
Very sad. There’s a lot of places in the Grand Canyon like this.
Last time we tripped out to Toroweap one of my kids asked why they don’t have barriers to prevent people from falling. A question I found myself pondering as well. And it’s not like Horseshoe Bend is remote. That’s a popular spot.
They have installed rails at the primary viewing spot but people can go elsewhere.
It isn’t disney land. There is no mickey mouse. It has real danger and real cliffs. At some point people have to use their brain.
If you are stupid enough to get close to falling down the cliff, then don’t stand there or get near it. The grand canyon is not be feared, it is to be respected. If you can’t do that, don’t visit. You can’t put up a fence or barrier on every danger in life.
“The grand canyon is not be feared, it is to be respected.”
Well aware. I’ve hiked it rim to rim.
Just because the barriers aren’t there doesn’t mean we don’t have reason to question it.
Many people don’t take approaching cliffs seriously. I’m not saying we have to have them. But I am saying there are a lot of people who visit these places who have no business being there.
People also need to remember this was never an official visitation spot or trail until recently. For years this was an informal dirt parking lot with a “user trail” that went to the viewing location. The land agencies and city of Page have been scrambling to keep up with demand the last two years. They have put in a herculean effort given the difficulty of finding funding for a new location that wasn’t already financed through user fees. If you’ve visited in the last year you will see they have been building a real parking lot, creating a management plan and building an official trail which includes shade structures and physical barriers at specific locations along the very exposed cliff’s edge.
I was not aware of this prior to commenting. Thanks for the info.