The tragic death of a 19-year-old hiker was accidentally filmed on her phone in Utah.
Cynthia Ann Grimwood went hiking at around 3 pm on June 7 with her dog at the Horsetail Falls in Alpine, Utah, when she was swept away after falling into the swollen river.
The American teen’s phone was later found by two hikers, who also found her dog, according to the Utah County Sheriff Sgt. Spencer Cannon who revealed information to KSL.com.
Once the hikers found her belongings and dog, they immediately called the sheriff’s office as they were concerned that someone may have fallen in.
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According to reports, the water level in the river was ‘abnormally high’ and that what happened to the hiker was a ‘tragic accident’.
Later that night, her body was located just two hours after the incident after a number of rescue teams searched for her remains. She was formally identified on June 10.
According to officials, the stream included snowmelt runoff water near the Falls during her hike, and the current was strong.
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But it was only when they reviewed the footage on the teen’s phone that they realised that she had recorded her final moments.
Officials said in a statement that the video showed her near the water before she was swept away by the strong water flow.
The Utah County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (SAR), along with firefighters from different agencies in Utah County, responded to the call, enlisting a helicopter from the Utah Department of Public Safety.
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It was then that her body was recovered 100 yards below the Horsetail Falls, where she had become stuck under the water and trees.
Officials said: “The area where the victim was stuck in the water was full with heavy snow melt runoff and conditions were treacherous. The steep rock walls around the area made it very difficult to access.”
Due to the dangerous conditions, search and rescue crews had to postpone retrieving her body until Saturday, when the waters would be more accessible.
To ensure that the body stayed in the same location, volunteers who joined the search and rescue watched her overnight until she could be transported to the medical examiner.
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Although the footage has been recovered and her body is in the examiner’s office, the autopsy is yet to shed light on how Grimwood died.
In a statement to PEOPLE on June 10, Sgt. Garrett Dutson, Utah County Sheriff’s Office, provided an update: "Cynthia Ann Grimwood, 19, of Springville, Utah went hiking with her dog to Horsetail Falls in Alpine on Friday.
"Around 3 p.m. our dispatch center received a call from two hikers who had found her dog and personal belongings, including a video on her phone showing her walking into the water. This prompted an hours-long search for the woman.
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"Her body was located Friday night, but because of safety concerns her body wasn’t recovered until Saturday morning."
Britt Jones