Andrea Norton has been identified as the 20-year-old Briar Cliff University student who tragically passed away following a 100-foot fall off an Arkansas cliff while posing for a photo.
According to police, Norton — a junior at Iowa’s Briar Cliff University who was on the volleyball team — was posing for pictures at Hawksbill Crag on Saturday, April 13 when she fell approximately 100 feet from the cliff.
Hawksbill Crag, located in the in Ozark National Forest, is popular hiking destination near the Arkansas town of Jasper.
A report from the Sioux City Journal, Newton County Sheriff Glenn Wheeler said that Norton, an environmental science major at Briar Cliff University, was fatally injured due to the fall.
Additionally, Sheriff Wheeler said that Norton was pronounced dead at the scene when officers responded around 9:33 a.m. local time.
The environmental science major from Sioux City, Iowa had been on a hiking trip with college friends at the time of the accident, according to her obituary.
Briar Cliff University released a full statement about Norton’s passing on Facebook, calling her an “exemplary student and dedicated athlete.”
“Our deepest condolences and prayers go to the family and friends of BCU student Andrea Norton. Andrea was a passionate environmental science major, exemplary student and dedicated athlete. She lived BCU’s values in everything she did from the classroom to the court and everywhere she went,” the statement read.
“Andrea made a tremendous impact on the BCU community and everyone she met and will be greatly missed. Please keep her family, friends and BCU family in your thoughts and prayers,” the statement concluded.
Unfortunately, Norton was not the only college student to recently pass due to a tragic fall, as Fordham University student Sydney Monfries passed away on Sunday, April 14, following a fall from a university clock tower.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Andrea Norton’s friends, family, and various loved ones during this extremely difficult and trying time.