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Orange County woman dies in fall while trying to save teen at waterfall

Three Sisters Waterfall in Cleveland National Forest
A woman was killed and a teenage girl injured when they fell from a ledge at Three Sisters Waterfall in Cleveland National Forest last week.
(Ana Ramirez / San Diego Union-Tribune)
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A 48-year-old Orange County woman died and a 15-year-old girl was injured when they fell from the ledge of a waterfall last week in the Cleveland National Forest, authorities said.

The incident happened shortly before 10 a.m. Thursday when a woman and four teens were hiking along the ledge of one of the Three Sisters waterfalls in the Descanso area, San Diego County sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Ford said.

One of the teens slipped, and the woman tried to keep her from going over the edge, but both ultimately fell, Ford said.

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Bystanders saw the fall and tried to render aid.

When firefighters arrived, they transported the woman to the trailhead to meet a helicopter ambulance, but she died before she could be flown out, Capt. Brent Pascua of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

The woman was identified as Sarah Louise Crocker of Ladera Ranch, the medical examiner’s office said.

The girl who fell, who was not identified, was flown to a trauma hospital with injuries that were serious but not life-threatening, authorities said.

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