Mother falls to her death while hiking with husband and toddler in Arizona
A California woman fell to her death from a 140-foot cliff while hiking with her husband and toddler in Arizona, authorities have said.
Mother-of-three Zaynab Joseph, 40, was described by friends as a “beacon of positivity” for whom her children were her “greatest pride and joy,” following the incident on Monday.
Joseph’s body was discovered by a group of hikers in the Bear Mountain area of Sedona, Arizona, who alerted the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) after hearing yelling.
While others called 911, one of the group descended an embankment to where Joseph had fallen and found her seriously injured, but still breathing. She died shortly after.
Members of the Sedona Fire Department were the first emergency responders on the scene and confirmed her death.
Joseph had been hiking Bear Mountain with her husband and one-year-old child, who were later flown off the mountain by a Department of Public Safety helicopter.
Joseph’s body was later removed from the mountain by DPS and members of the YCSO search and rescue teams.
The sheriff’s department said the family, from California, had been staying in an Airbnb in Sedona. Friends and family posted tributes to Joseph following the tragic event.
“My beloved sister, Zaynab Joseph, passed away yesterday in a tragic accident. She had a heart of gold and was very dear to all of us. No words can describe the pain our families are going through, especially her husband and three young children,” wrote Farwa Zaidi.
Another friend, Zahraa Mahmoud, described Joseph as having “infectious laughter” and a “heart of gold”.
“Zaynab was a beacon of positivity, her contagious smile lighting up every room she entered,” she wrote on Facebook.
“Her warmth and genuine compassion touched the lives of all who crossed her path, leaving lasting impressions of love and kindness. She possessed a rare gift of bringing people together, her gentle nature and infectious laughter making her loved by all.”
YCSO conducted multiple interviews with hikers coming off the mountain and the investigation into the tragic incident is ongoing.
Bear Mountain Trail is described as a "strenuous hike" and is "mostly unshaded, steep and difficult in places," according to the US Forest Service.
The trail climbs over 1,800 feet in elevation over the 2.3-mile trek to the top of the mountain.
