Man Rappelling With 1-Year-Old Falls 80 Feet; Child Unharmed But Man Critically Injured

A man who fell 80 feet while rock-climbing with a 1-year-old child in Arizona was hospitalized over the weekend, but the child was miraculously unharmed, officials said.

On Saturday, Sept. 26, two Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire Rescue crews responded to a report of a fall near the Ghost Valley trailhead. According to the initial call, an adult man and 1-year-old child had fallen approximately 80 feet while rappelling, and their condition was unknown.

One Beaver Dam crew established a landing zone for a Mercy Air helicopter, while the other made their way to the patients. Additional rescue teams responded to the scene, including from nearby Washington County, Utah.

After locating the patients, rescuers determined the man was critically injured and the child was uninjured.

Rescuers worked for approximately three hours to extricate the injured man from the remote location. He was transported by the fire department to St. George Regional Hospital for treatment.

“Please use extreme caution when recreating in remote areas, and always consider the risks associated with rappelling and other outdoor activities,” the fire department said.