"Witnesses said Grace was hit by a chunk of ice about half the size of an SUV"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Falling ice kills girl, 11, on family outing
By the CNN Wire Staff
August 2, 2010 6:09 p.m. EDT



On an outing with her mother in Washington state, 11-year-old Grace was killed by falling ice.

(CNN) -- An 11-year-old girl was killed and her mother injured when a huge chunk of ice struck them near a cave attraction in Washington state.

The two were on a family outing Saturday near the Big Four ice caves in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, authorities said.

The family spoke to CNN affiliate KOMO on the condition their last name not be used. The girl's name was Grace. She, her parents and younger brother, William, were on an ice field next to the caves when they heard a "pop."

Grace's mother, Tamami, told KOMO: "I turned my head to the right, then I see the big chunk of ice falling down. I tried to snatch my daughter but I couldn't," she said.

Witnesses said Grace was hit by a chunk of ice about half the size of an SUV. "I tumbled down and I lifted her up and asked her, 'Grace, are you OK?'" her mother told KOMO. "And she look up at me and (was) already oh so pale."

Her parents and others performed CPR for more than an hour, but Grace died at the scene, KOMO reported.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/08/02/washington.ice.caves.death/index.html?hpt=C1

[tammywammy]

1. That's very sad. nt

[driver8]

2. OMG, this story is heartbreaking.

My heart goes out to this family -- I cannot imagine losing a child. I don't know if I would be able to handle it.

[earcandle]

3. Oh how terribly sad. My heart goes out to the family.

[Jackpine Radical]

4. How terribly sad.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

5. What a nightmare.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. That is truly awful.

That family must be in unimaginable pain, losing their daughter that way. And to be there, seeing it happen.

The poor little girl.

Brain injuries like that are catastrophic...She probably had a brain stem injury and died from that.

[RamboLiberal]

9. She had a pelvic injury and apparently was talking after incident

Grace's father says he wants to thank the people who tried to save his daughter. But he also is frustrated that there was no cell phone reception in the area. He also wants to know why it took two hours before emergency responders arrived with medical equipment.

Grace was conscious for an hour after the ice block fell on her. She was talking to her family and cracking jokes.

http://www.king5.com/news/local/girl-killed-falling-ice-response-time-99779469.html

"I tumbled down and I lifted her up and asked her, 'Grace, are you okay?'" her mother said. "And she look up at me and (was) already oh so pale."

Her parents and other people who were in the area performed CPR for more than an hour, but Grace died at the scene. The medical examiner ruled Monday she died from a crushed pelvis.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/99739879.html

Terribly sad story. My heart is with her parents.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. Oh, NO.

If they'd gotten to her in time, she would have lived.

How awful.

It's much worse this way.

My heart is with her parents too...

[TheWraith]

13. Maybe she would have, maybe not.

Crush injuries can be very difficult to treat.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

14. There is no reception in the area

because they are in the mountains. It's not a straight 4 lane highway to where they were, but rather a twisty, turning road. Also, I'm not positive, but fairly sure they may have ignored the warning signs about where they should have walked, stood etc.
I'm most sympathetic but she's the kid and the adults are supposed to keep her safe, not ignore posted warning signs and then try to shift the responsibility somewhere else.

[EFerrari]

19. Where did you get the idea that her parents ignored signs?

The article says the sign says to stay away from the ice caves and that the family was not in the ice cave. Is there something else?

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

24. What I meant to say was

going anywhere near the caves presents danger and signs warn of such danger.
Here is a story from the Seattle Times.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012516565_icecaves

[depakid]

15. "no cell phone service"

Can't rely on having modern amenities out in the boonies.

Sad, but these things happen- glaciers and icefields are dangerous places.

[renate]

23. oh no... conscious for an hour. and cracking jokes

This was already such a horribly sad story but that just makes it a million times worse. Bless her sweet brave heart.

:cry:

[donco6]

7. Poor kid. That's so sad. n/t

[City Lights]

8. OMG, how awful.

My heart breaks for the whole family. :cry:

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Oh no!

:cry:

[Old and In the Way]

12. So very sad.

As a parent, this is your worst nightmare. What should have been a great family recreation time, turns into a horrible memory that will never go away. I hope the family finds peace and closure. I'm not sure I could..

[BlueJazz]

16. Oh...Me...

:cry:

[Naturyl]

17. Very sad. To lose a child in such a senseless, meaningless, random way.

Buddha said: "life is suffering." He wasn't wrong.

[Hannah Bell]

18. i'm sure the parents are in a world of hurt, but the caves are 26 miles up a mountain road

this is the terrain:




Big Four Ice Caves:

A trail 14.5 miles east of the Verlot Ranger Station is the Mountain Loop's most frequented foot route. The one-mile, well-maintained trail leads to a year-round snowfield at the base of a towering rock wall. During the summer, melting snow cascades down the rock face, creating caves as the rivulets pass through the icy lower deposits. Visitors are warned to not enter the caves, which often collapse by early fall. The caves typically are inaccessible by foot during the winter, when snow often closes the highway several miles west of the trailhead.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/guidetosnohomishcounty/2003276479_countyrec27n.html?syndication=rss


it's foolish to expect city conveniences in the high mountains

[JohnnyLib2]

21. Tragic, unthinkable.

:cry:

[Warren DeMontague]

22. Oh, God.

That's just awful. :cry: