Home News 

Story

Teen Hiker Survived Mountain Fall; Suffered Cardiac Arrest

Posted: 8:47 am EDT June 9, 2008Updated: 2:00 pm EDT June 13, 2008

Officials say a teen died after falling off a mountain while on a hiking trip with friends.

White County fire department spokeswoman Ana Newberry said 18-year-old Elena Shaw was hiking at Yonah Mountain Saturday along with three or four teens, calling them "avid hikers."

"It’s something they’ve done all the time. They’ve lived in the county all their lives," Newberry told the Gainesville Times.

Newberry said Shaw lost her footing and fell over 600 feet.

"We think her foot slipped out from under her and she just lost her footing, and it’s a granite face so there’s nothing to hold onto, no branches or anything grows there," Newberry said.

She said the teen had "massive" internal injuries and experienced cardiac arrest before she died. The incident happened in White County 25 miles north of Gainesville.

Shaw recently graduated as salutatorian from Mountain Education Center High School in Dahlonega.

Services for Shaw will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Nacoochee United Methodist Church and at 2 p.m. at Alexander’s Gateway Chapel Funeral Home in Cleveland.

More Headlines

2 Investigates

Scientists at the Georgia Aquarium have disturbing new research ... and what they're finding in ocean creatures could have massive implications for Georgians. Channel 2 Action News reporter Linda Stouffer got a close up look. Watch Video ››
Pt. 2 Georgia Aquarium Researchers Conduct Seafood Testing
DOLPHIN RESEARCH WEB EXTRAS: marineland.net | RAW VIDEO: Swimming With Dolphins | Fish Consumption Guidelines | Seafood Advisory Areas


A local police major says he's been removed from hiring and recruitment ... a result of sexual harassment allegations by two women. Channel 2 Action News investigative reporter Mark Winne has the latest. Watch Video ››


Federal law forbids paying welfare benefits to immigrants -- even legal immigrants. But a government investigation found that states all over the country are ignoring an important part of that law. When Channel 2 Action News reporter Richard Belcher asked Georgia's Department of Human Services what it was doing, the answer was: We don't know.

A Channel 2 investigation is exposing critical 911 delays. Dozens of Channel 2 viewers called and e-mailed us and said they were put on hold during emergencies. Investigative reporter Jodie Fleischer spent months requesting and digging through records. While the city of Atlanta still hasn't provived all of what we asked for, Fleischer has uncovered what appears to be a 911 emergency.

Channel 2 Investigates uncovers government waste , fraud and abuse. Full Story ››