A 23-year-old TV news producer with KCRA 3, tragically passed away after falling from a rope swing at Folsom Lake, near Sacramento, on August 12. 

The impact was severe; the woman identified as Kathryn Hoedt fell onto a rocky shoreline at the California state park from a height of 30 feet.

Hoedt, having studied at San Jose State University and New York University, was a respected member of the team at KCRA 3, a local station in Sacramento. Derek Schnell, the news director, spoke highly of her dedication and infectious energy.

Following the accident, her friends and an off-duty doctor present provided initial assistance. However, Hoedt was declared dead after being taken to Sutter Roseville Medical Center.

Folsom Lake’s staff are known to discourage rope swings, routinely removing them. Superintendent Mike Howard linked the tragedy to the lake’s receding water levels. Meanwhile, Barry Smith, a chief ranger, warned of the inherent risks with swings, saying “You don’t know who put the rope swing up. You don’t know how strong that is. You don’t know the tree, the branch. Anything can give out and it’s extremely dangerous.”