A three-year-old child has died after falling into the water at Whitewater Falls in Jackson County in North Carolina.
The incident took place on Sunday when the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said Nevaeh Jade Newswanger was visiting the falls with her family. She was taken away by the water and fell down the falls, according to WSPA.
Emergency crews from Jackson, Transylvania, Haywood, Henderson, and Oconee counties all came to the scene after reports came in at about 5.50pm.
Nevaeh’s body was found just before nightfall trapped in an area of the falls, Fox Carolina reported. Her body was recovered at about 1am on Monday.
The Sheriff’s office said her family is from Denver, Pennsylvania and that her family was living in Oconee County while they were working in the area.
Jackson County Sheriff Chip Hall warned others of the dangers the falls may pose.
“First and foremost our prayers are with the Newswanger family as they grieve the loss of this precious young child,” he said. “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.”
“While beautiful to view from a safe distance, venturing out closer to the falls for any reason brings tremendous danger,” he added. “Always remain at a distance, follow safety precautions and warnings which are in place, and view waterfalls from designated viewing areas.”
