A family hike took a tragic turn this weekend when both parents were killed and their two children injured – one severely – at Zoar Valley Gorge in western New York.
According to ABCNews.com, William and Amanda Green, of Buffalo, New York, were hiking at the Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area with their young children Alexander, 4, and Jacob, 7. Both parents were found dead Sunday near a creek at the bottom of the gorge. Alexander was found nearby with severe injuries. Jacob was found later wandering the gorge floor alone and with less severe injuries.
The gorge wall at New York’s Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area. (AndyArthur.org Photo)
Police say it appears the parents and Alexander fell roughly 200 feet down a cliff, which they described as “sheer” and “straight down.”
Hikers discovered Alexander and the bodies of the parents. A sheriff’s helicopter made a dangerous landing on the gorge floor and evacuated the 4-year-old as emergency crews and police descended the cliff face. Rescuers searching the area for clues found sneakers and footprints that were too big for a 4-year-old and later learned from relatives that four members of the family had gone to the gorge. Jacob was later found nearby, but it is still unclear whether he fell along with the others.
The children were taken to a Buffalo hospital where Alexander is listed in guarded condition with internal injuries, fractures and a head injury. Jacob is listed in good condition with a broken right arm and ankle.
Zoar Valley is known for its spectacular scenery created by its deep gorge, sheer cliffs, flowing waterfalls, and dense forests. But it has been the scene of several deaths and rescues as people have fallen from cliffs and waterfalls.