College student dies after falling from 'treacherous' cliff during group photo with friends
A college student has died after falling off a cliff at a famous hiking spot in Arkansas during a photo with classmates.
According to the Associated Press, Andrea Norton, a 20-year-old college student from South Dakota died Saturday after falling 100 feet off a cliff in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest. She had been re-adjusting herself for a picture with friends from Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa.
Norton tumbled from Hawksbill Crag, a.k.a., Whitaker Point, a beautiful hiking spot once ranked in a “Top 10 Places to Kiss” article and where couples often take engagement photos. A 3-mile trail dotted with wildflowers and a waterfall leads to the rock formation, which is shaped like a bird’s beak.
The Buffalo Outdoor Center warns on its website, “Caution: Please be careful in this area. A bluff line can be a pretty thing, but also a dangerous one. We cannot stress enough the importance of remaining cautious and staying back from sheer drop-offs, as well as keeping a vigilant eye on children, even teenagers.”
Andrea Norton was fatally injured when she accidentally fell from a rock formation near Jasper, about 101 miles northwest of Little Rock. https://t.co/3648jCk7uP #KHOU pic.twitter.com/PKgAUFYdGT
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) April 16, 2019
A Briar Cliff spokesperson told Yahoo Lifestyle, “It is with very heavy hearts that we confirm the sudden passing of Briar Cliff University’s Andrea Norton. Andrea embodied BCU’s values in everything she did including her compassion for all, a love for the environment and an openness to everyone she met. Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to Andrea’s family and friends during this very difficult time. Counselors are currently assisting Briar Cliff students, faculty, staff and all who knew Andrea.”
The school posted a photo of Norton’s memorial, writing on Facebook, “…Andrea was a passionate environmental science major, exemplary student, and dedicated athlete….” And the Briar volleyball team tweeted, “We are saddened by the unexpected passing of our beloved teammate Andrea Norton. #22 on the court, #1 in our hearts.”
We are saddened by the unexpected passing of our beloved teammate Andrea Norton. #22 on the court, #1 in our hearts. Thank you for the prayers, calls, texts and emails. As Dre would say: Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4 #BattleOn pic.twitter.com/PRRJa11Wfs
— Briar Cliff Women’s Volleyball (@Cliff_WVB) April 14, 2019
Before Sunday’s baseball and softball games, we honored the life of Andrea Norton, a member of the WVB team who died tragically Saturday.
Thank you to everyone who has sent their prayers to the Briar Cliff community as we mourn the loss of a very special student-athlete. pic.twitter.com/idItOiFG5L
— Briar Cliff Athletics (@bcuchargers) April 15, 2019
Sheriff Glenn Wheeler of Newton County, Arkansas did not return Yahoo Lifestyle’s information request. Sixty-one people spent nearly five hours on Norton’s rescue, he told Missouri news station KY3.
Norton’s death was reportedly the second fall in 2019, but Wheeler said building a fence around the crag wasn’t practical. “It will only hamper our efforts and will take away from the natural and wild beauty of the place that people go to appreciate,” he told KY3.
“It’s a beautiful beautiful area,” said Wheeler, “but it’s also kind of a treacherous area.”
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
‘Beautiful’ and ‘well-known’ college student dies at South Carolina fraternity party
Teen killed by suspected drunk driver on her way home from prom
College student dies after falling from campus clock tower weeks before graduation
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.