Teen died when tree fell on hammock

**awanatech** · 05-21-2017, 23:20

This is a very sad story from here in Atlanta. A group was celebrating a birthday and camping at Red Top Mountain State Park just north of Atlanta this weekend. On Friday night, 5/19/17, the 15 (or 16) year old girl was sleeping in her hammock around 11:30pm when one of the trees that she was hanging from snapped & fell onto her. She passed away on Sunday 5/21/17 from her injuries. I don't know more details, but I would assume that she was hanging from a dead tree. I don't know if it snapped vertically from the trunk or a higher limb fell.

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/cobb...dent/524985350

http://www.ajc.com/news/local/high-s...QR6srTmteGG3H/

Be safe while hanging out there!! Inspect your trees before you hang.

**Andy "Bull" Bullock** · 05-21-2017, 23:47

Tragic.

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**Trail Troll** · 05-22-2017, 02:49

Terrible to hear something like that. Condolences to her family and friends.

**W8lkinUSA** · 05-22-2017, 04:14

RIP, hammocker..

**MAD777** · 05-22-2017, 04:44

Oh no! So sad.

Let us be vigilant in selecting our hangin trees (especially you single ridgeline folks). And don't forget to check the surrounding trees, too.

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**dakotaross** · 05-22-2017, 06:18

Ughh, so young. And being local really hurts that much more. Loving thoughts to the family, and to all of her friends, too - so unfortunate for all the kids that had to experience this.

Hope we find some sort of reason eventually. I've noted when camping with others that some large (overused?) campsites have pretty unhealthy trees. Have to wonder if that's the case here.

**GreatBigDave** · 05-22-2017, 07:05

So sad. Another reminder of our fragility.

**TrailSlug** · 05-22-2017, 07:10

It doesn't have to be a dead tree. This weekend when the sever storms rolled through on Saturday after noon the tree I typically sleep under in my back yard split in half and would have been bad news if I had been sleeping there. The tree was a very large maple that "was" in very good shape. My prayers are with this young ladies parents and friends.

**tollermama** · 05-22-2017, 07:24

Just a reminder that she could also have been in a tent and had the tree fall on her. Has happened multiple times to folks in tents. When there is severe weather it is always a possibility for anyone outdoors to have a tree fall on them. A very sad occurrence indeed.

**TxAggie** · 05-22-2017, 07:53

Originally Posted by TrailSlug

It doesn't have to be a dead tree. This weekend when the sever storms rolled through on Saturday after noon the tree I typically sleep under in my back yard split in half and would have been bad news if I had been sleeping there. The tree was a very large maple that "was" in very good shape. My prayers are with this young ladies parents and friends.

Indeed, prayers for the young one and her friends. I'm sure they weren't planning on having to hike out a severely injured classmate when they left for the weekend.

Originally Posted by tollermama

Just a reminder that she could also have been in a tent and had the tree fall on her. Has happened multiple times to folks in tents. When there is severe weather it is always a possibility for anyone outdoors to have a tree fall on them. A very sad occurrence indeed.

And it doesn't necessarily have to be severe weather. Just a couple of well timed wind gusts on soggy ground can uproot a solid tree.

The frailty of life, live it while you can. Godspeed, young lady.