Shortly before midnight Tuesday, Pennington County Deputies were dispatched to the Falling Rock area following reports of a female who had fallen. Upon arrival, deputies located three women at the top of the cliff. The victim was identified as 19-year-old Ava Christensen of Rapid City.
Search and rescue teams, including Pennington County Search and Rescue and Rapid City Fire Department, worked through hazardous terrain to locate Christensen’s body at the base of the cliff. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Black Hills Life Flight was placed on standby but later released when the mission shifted from rescue to recovery.
Investigators believe the incident was accidental. Witness statements and evidence suggest Christensen lost her balance and fell. Alcohol is believed to have been a contributing factor.
Recovery operations concluded just before 3:00 AM. Agencies involved in the response included the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Pennington County Search and Rescue, Rapid City Fire Department, Johnson Siding Fire Department, and Black Hills Life Flight.
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