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Lifestyle & Human Interest

Mom, Toddler Survive Over 100-Foot Fall from Popular Landmark

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A mother was planning to spend a nice day with her 2-year-old daughter at popular Multnomah Falls in Oregon on Sunday, but they ended up getting the scare of a lifetime.

The hiking trail they were on was slick, as it had been raining, and at some point the toddler slipped, according to KGW-TV. Mom reacted — grabbing the toddler and trying to pull her up — but mom lost her footing, too, and both tumbled to the creek below.

Initial reports put the distance at 50 feet, but later reports stated the pair likely fell 100 to 150 feet. Good Samaritans leaped into action, providing assistance immediately while others gathered blankets and jackets from the gift shop.



Providentially, one of the good Samaritans was an off-duty emergency-room doctor, according to KATU-TV.

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At about 12:20 p.m., deputies arrived, and shortly afterward the mother and daughter, whose names were not released, were taken to the hospital.

“The mom and daughter were transported to the hospital to receive treatment for their injuries,” spokesperson Chris Liedle, with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, told NBC News.

“Both of them were alert and conscious. Neither of their injuries were life-threatening.

“It was initially reported to 911 the height of the fall was approximately 50 feet. After confirming where the two hikers fell, responders believe the fall was closer to 100 to 150 feet.”

Witnesses said the scene was terrifying but that it was encouraging to see how strangers rallied to help the victims.

“It was very clear, like, the baby was, like, injured,” Ericka Klein, a witness, told KATU.

“Someone had grabbed the baby from the mom, and then somebody else was down there with the mom, making sure she was OK.”



“Eventually, (I) saw the mother and the baby getting carried out of the water,” Julia Hariri, another witness, recalled. “The baby was the only one that was actually on the ground right here, with people huddled around her.”

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Jill Willis, vice president of the Multnomah Falls Company, said that by the time she got to the scene, others already had responded to the emergency.

“When I came up here, and I had some of the blankets and jackets, good Samaritans had already surrounded the little one,” Willis told KATU.

Mother and daughter are expected to recover, but after the scare, some of the good Samaritans changed their plans and decided not to hike the trail.

Experts urge hikers to be mindful of the conditions while hiking, especially during rainy periods.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Multnomah Falls is Oregon’s tallest cascade and the most-visited natural recreation location in the Pacific Northwest.

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Amanda holds an MA in Rhetoric and TESOL from Cal Poly Pomona. After teaching composition and logic for several years, she's strayed into writing full-time and especially enjoys animal-related topics.
As of January 2019, Amanda has written over 1,000 stories for The Western Journal but doesn't really know how. Graduating from California State Polytechnic University with a MA in Rhetoric/Composition and TESOL, she wrote her thesis about metacognitive development and the skill transfer between reading and writing in freshman students.
She has a slew of interests that keep her busy, including trying out new recipes, enjoying nature, discussing ridiculous topics, reading, drawing, people watching, developing curriculum, and writing bios. Sometimes she has red hair, sometimes she has brown hair, sometimes she's had teal hair.
With a book on productive communication strategies in the works, Amanda is also writing and illustrating some children's books with her husband, Edward.
Location
Austin, Texas
Languages Spoken
English und ein bißchen Deutsch
Topics of Expertise
Faith, Animals, Cooking




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