Teen falls to his death while taking photos at Utah canyon overlook
A 19-year-old man who was taking photos at a popular overlook in Utah fell to his death on Saturday, CBS affiliate KUTV reports, citing the sheriff's office.
KUTV reported that Jonathan Fielding had recently moved to Orem, Utah from Missouri and was hiking with friends at around 5 p.m. when he fell. Fielding and his friends were hiking near the Moonscape Overlook, a popular area that overlooks Utah's Blue Valley.
Fielding's death has been ruled accidental by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, KUTV reported.
Deputies from the sheriff's office told the station that they believed Fielding was trying to get a better view of the canyon when he fell.
According to a GoFundMe set up by family friends, Fielding's funeral will be held on Saturday. The fundraiser, which was launched to raise money for expenses related to the teen's death, had collected over $26,000 as of Thursday.
Conor Parry, the organizer of the GoFundMe, told KUTV that he was one of Fielding's youth leaders in Missouri.
"Jonathan is one of those kids who you'd walk away from and you're still smiling," Parry told the station. "He's a very genuine individual who is very interested in what's going on in your life. He is full of energy, and he would make you feel important when he's talking to you."
Fielding's sister Rebecca shared an emotional message on Facebook, according to KUTV, saying she hoped the accident would remind people to be cautious while hiking. She also said that her brother had been trying to get a better photo when he fell.
"Jonathan thought he was invincible. He was so young, so happy, so full of life. Nothing scared him. This kind of thing was never supposed to happen to him. It doesn't feel right being in a world without him and I'd give anything to trade places with him," Rebecca Fielding wrote, according to KUTV.
"It was a tragic accident, but Jonathan should be a cautionary tale to anyone who hikes or does photography. Never trust the ground on the edge of a cliff," her post continued. The rocks may look solid, the ground might seem like it will hold, but it's still an eroding ticking time bomb ... No view is worth your life. No view is worth the suffering that your family and friends will go through. No view is worth the risk that rescuers face when trying to save people and recover bodies."
- In:
- Hiker
- Death
- Fatal Accident
- Utah
Kerry Breen is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.
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