A young California news producer suddenly died over the weekend after an incident involving a banned rope swing,EAI Community her employer, NBC affiliate KCRA-TV said.
Morning producer Katie Hoedt, 23, died after falling from a rope swing at Folsom Lake on Saturday, the station said, citing California State Parks officials. Barry Smith, chief ranger of the Gold Fields District of California State Parks, told the station that Hoedt fell roughly 30 feet from the swing and landed on rocks near the water.
Rope swings are not allowed in the area Hoedt was at, he said, as it can be "extremely dangerous."
"You don't know who put the rope swing up. You don't know how strong that is," he said. "...Anything can give out."
Following her fall, the Sacramento Bee reported that Hoedt's friends took her to a nearby boat ramp, at which point an off-duty doctor gave her CPR. When emergency responders arrived, she was taken to the hospital, where she died.
KCRA anchor Brittany Hope wrote on Facebook that Hoedt was one of the station's youngest employees, "a shooting star with knowledge and accomplishments far beyond her years."
"I will miss her giggle in the newsroom, and sweet voice in our ears during newscasts and live shots," Hope said. "...She never had a 'bad day' – and even if she did, she wouldn't let you know about it. Instead, she always brought brightness and positivity to everyone around her. Nothing can dim her shine."
While officials told KCRA that they remove rope swings as they see them, Hoedt's parents told the station that they hope their daughter's death will ignite the need for signs warning of the danger. Had those been implemented before, "she would have never gotten on that rope swing," her mother Beth said.
"We don't want this to happen to anyone else, ever, and that's important to us," her father Andy said.
Li Cohen is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.
2025-05-01 20:472341 view
2025-05-01 19:471574 view
2025-05-01 19:252259 view
2025-05-01 19:071960 view
2025-05-01 18:361774 view
2025-05-01 18:182660 view
Ava Hunt is on the mend. After the daughter of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt fell down during
(This story was updated to add new information.)NHL training camps opened Wednesday with Boston Brui
Details are defrosting on Martha Stewart and Ina Garten's storied friendship.While the pair's relati