3-Year-Old Girl Dies After Being Swept Over 411-Foot Waterfall in North Carolina
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A young girl died over the weekend after she was swept over a 411-foot waterfall in North Carolina, local news outlets reported.
According to the Charlotte Observer, 3-year-old Nevaeh Jade Newswanger died on Sunday when she fell over Whitewater Falls in North Carolina.
Citing a Jackson County Sheriff's Office news release, the outlet said Jackson County Emergency Management received a call around 5:50 p.m. informing them a girl had been "swept away in the water at the top of the falls."
Emergency responders from five different counties were dispatched to the area to help locate Nevaeh, FOX station WHNS reported. Search teams eventually found her dead, trapped in an area of the waterfall, according to the outlet. They retrieved her body around 1 a.m. Monday morning.
Nevaeh was from Pennsylvania, but her family had been living in Oconee County while working in North Carolina, WHNS reported.
The Jackson County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
"First and foremost our prayers are with the Newswanger family as they grieve the loss of this precious young child," Jackson County Sheriff Chip Hall said, according to NBC station WYFF.
"With the onset of spring weather, we need to be reminded of the dangers associated with many scenic areas of the region such as waterfalls," he continued. "While beautiful to view from a safe distance, venturing out closer to the falls for any reason brings tremendous danger."
Hall offered a warning for other people who may be thinking of venturing out to the waterfall.
"Always remain at a distance, follow safety precautions and warnings that are in place, and view waterfalls from designated viewing areas," he said.
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The United States Department of Agriculture says Whitewater Falls has a 411-foot plunge.
On their site, the department asks visitors to stay on the trails, even if they would like to get a better look at the area.
"The best views of the falls are from the two overlooks. However, some people venture off the trail to try for better views. Tragically, several of these people fell to their deaths or suffered serious injuries at Whitewater Falls," they warn. "Please stay on the trails."
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On the hiking review website AllTrails, several visitors describe one of the Whitewater Falls hikes as "strenuous" and "moderately hard."
