A woman lost her life while attempting to assist a teenager who had slipped at the popular Three Sisters Falls hiking trail in Southern California. 

The incident occurred in the unincorporated area of Descanso in the Cleveland National Forest on Thursday morning, June 8. 

The hiker,identified as Sarah Louise Crocker, 48, was accompanied by four teenagers described as “family and family friends” by the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office.

During their hike near the middle pool of the falls, one of the teenagers lost her footing, prompting Crocker to reach out to her. Regrettably, Crocker herself lost balance, resulting in both people tumbling over the waterfall and landing in the pool below, sustaining severe injuries.

Despite the immediate help provided by witnesses, Crocker could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene. The medical examiner attributed her cause of death to multiple blunt force injuries and drowning, ruling it as an accident. The injured teenager, while having sustained severe injuries, was airlifted to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Three Sisters Falls, renowned for its challenging nature, is situated in eastern San Diego County, encompassing three expansive waterfalls surrounded by imposing rocky mountains.

Lieutenant Jeff Ford, the spokesperson for the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, acknowledged that although injuries and rescue missions are relatively common in the area, fatalities are rare occurrences. Incidents mostly arise during the summer months and tend to be associated with heat exhaustion or minor injuries.