A beloved California morning news show producer reportedly died after falling from a rope swing Aug. 12, leading to calls for increased water safety measures.
Kathyrn “Katie” Hoedt, 23, suffered a 30-foot fall onto the shoreline Saturday while swinging on a rope swing at Folsom Lake, KCRA 3 reported. Though an off-duty doctor performed CPR on the morning show producer, she was pronounced dead after being transported to Sutter Roseville Medical Center, the outlet stated. (RELATED: REPORT: Newly-Engaged Woman Plunges Off Cliff To Her Death Just Moments After Boyfriend Proposed)
“I can’t believe it’s real, you know, she was such a bright light,” Hoedt’s mother Beth told the outlet in a separate report. “Today, I tried to get some work done, and it was really, really hard because I knew Katie’s never going to be calling me again, and it’s going to be just something that I’m never going to get used to.”
I’m just devastated. Katie Hoedt (@HoedtKatie) was one of the students responsible for the @SpartanDaily‘s numerous recent awards. Katie was one of the best and brightest to come through our program — the fact she’s gone at age 23 is unspeakably tragic.https://t.co/BON4XqkAGl
— Richard Craig (@SJSUProfCraig) August 14, 2023
Rope swings aren’t authorized at Folsom Lake or any other state parks.
“There’s a lot of danger out here that people need to be aware of, and unfortunately, we’re standing here today talking about Kathryn. And we wish we weren’t,” Barry Smith, chief ranger of the Gold Fields District of California State Parks told KCRA. “These are tragic events, and we don’t take these lightly.”
Smith explained that officials cut down rope swings if they find them, but noted at the site of the accident several rope swings could be seen.
“You don’t know who put the rope swing up. You don’t know how strong that is. You don’t know the tree, the branch. Anything can give out and it’s extremely dangerous,” he stressed.
Hoedt’s parents expressed frustration over the lack of signage at the park, warning against the unauthorized rope swings.
“Had Katie seen information like that or signs or been educated, she would have never gotten on that rope swing,” her mother told the outlet.
Her father, Andy, expressed similar concern, urging state park officials to trim back branches completely to prevent unauthorized swings from being placed.
“Either cutting them down or even better yet, cutting the branch off and getting rid of the branch at all, so you can’t fashion anything there. We don’t want this to happen to anyone else, ever, and that’s important to us,” he stated.