College Student Killed After Falling Off Cliff Posing for a Photo

Andrea Norton, 20, was on a trip for her environmental science major when she fell to her death. CNN

A 20-year-old college student fell off a cliff while posing for a photo in Arkansas, plunging 100 feet to her death.

Briar Cliff University junior Andrea Norton was repositioning herself for a picture at Hawksbill Crag, a popular hiking destination near Jasper, on April 13, when she fell.

The Associated Press cited Newton County Sheriff Grenn Wheeler as saying that Norton was with a group of other college students when she died.

Norton, of Hot Springs, South Dakota, had been on a hiking trip with college classmates at the time of the accident, according to her obituary.

Speaking to how dangerous the area is known to be, Wheeler told ABC news, “One stumble or misstep is all it can take to turn a great day into a tragic one.”

‘Had Such Compassion’

“Her light, courage, and drive is what drew people to her,” the obituary reads.

“She inspired those who knew her to be the best version of themselves, helped them reach their own goals and had such compassion for everything,” the tribute states. “Her smile could light up a room and she brought joy to all around her.”

Norton was on scholarship at BCU for symphony choir and women’s volleyball, according to The Journal.

In a Facebook post on Saturday night, Briar Cliff University called Norton “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.”

Briar Cliff Women’s Volleyball team posted a tribute to Norton, writing, “#22 on the court, #1 in our hearts.”

Black Hills Juniors Volleyball Club, a team Norton played with in the past, posted a tribute on Facebook, saying, “She was a vibrant young lady with an infectious smile that will be missed by many.”

Funeral services for the young woman are scheduled for April 19.

Over 250 Recorded ‘Selfie Deaths’

A study from October 2018 claims that between 2011 and 2017 there have been 259 recorded deaths of people taking selfies.

Researchers noted that the leading cause of selfie-related death was due to drowning. For the most part, this was on account of people being hit by waves of falling out of boats.

The study, published in The Journal of Family Medicine, also identified other top causes as falls from high places and being attacked posing with dangerous animals.

Over half of the deaths were in India, where the research was carried out by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

The other top countries were Russia, the United States, and Pakistan.

The Associated Press and Epoch Times reporter Simon Veazey contributed to this report.