JACKSON COUNTY, N.C. — A 3-year-old girl died after being swept away while visiting Whitewater Falls with her family over the weekend, officials say.
It happened shortly before 5:50 p.m. Sunday. Deputies say a current carried the girl over the top of the falls. The family was in a section of the falls that is specifically marked as dangerous.
"This really is the kind of thing that can happen to anyone. We have seen this happen to adults. You think the current might not be strong enough to carry you over, but it does," said Cathy Down, a public affairs officer for the U.S. Forest Service.
Emergency crews from surrounding counties responded and worked to find the girl, identified as Nevaeh Jade Newswanger. Rescuers found the girl's body in the waterfall just before nightfall.
“First and foremost, our prayers are with the Newswanger family as they grieve the loss of this precious young child," Jackson County Sheriff Chip Hall 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."
Deputies warn that venturing out close to the falls "brings tremendous danger." Officials advise to view the falls from designated viewing areas.
"Especially as we go into summer, don’t play in the river at the top of the falls. You might not realize the danger that you are in and think there is not much water. But all you need is a current that is quick enough to carry you over the top," Down said.
Newswanger's family, from Pennsylvania, was living in Oconee County, South Carolina while working in the area.
