A California woman died last week as she tried to save a family friend from falling into Three Sisters falls, a three-tiered waterfall located in a mountain landscape.
According to the San Diego County Office of the Medical Examiner, 48-year-old Sarah Louise Crocker of Ladera Ranch, Calif., and the friend were at the middle pool of the falls in Descanso last Thursday. NBC 4 identified the friend as a teen girl.
When that teen lost their footing, Crocker reached out to assist them and then lost her footing. It was a bit before 10 a.m.
“Both the decedent and the family friend went over the edge of the waterfall and landed in the bottom-mot pool of water,” said the medical examiner. A bystander started administering CPR as 911 was called. However, responding rescue personnel were not able resuscitate Crocker. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, hiking around Three Sisters Falls is gaining in popularity and the area is often crowded. It also said hiking in the area is challenging
“Having recently undergone some new developments, hikers will find a safer and more direct route to the falls, which alleviates the need to rock/mountain climb, lowering injury risks and casualty rates,” said the service. “Those who are interested in extreme hiking, mountain climbing, rock traversing, or otherwise challenging hikes will still appreciate elements of this trail, particularly if hiking to the third waterfall or traversing the rocky bottom. The falls typically do not run in the summer months and the pool at the base of the falls gets stagnant with algae.”
Additionally, it said that heat-related air rescues are not uncommon in the area during the summer and that years of water runoff have “left the large boulders incredibly smooth, making slips and falls common.”
Crocker’s cause of death was listed as “multiple blunt force injuries, especially chest and right pelvis,” as well as drowning.
NBC 4 reported that the teen Crocker helped was “airlifted to a hospital” where she was treated for severe but non-life-threatening injuries. Crocker’s family – including her husband and two children – said she was active in the community and loved the outdoors, per the outlet.
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