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Teens Ignored Danger Sign Before Fatal San Francisco Cliff Plunge

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- U.S. Park officials said Monday that a teenager who tumbled to her death last week at San Francisco Land's End ignored a posted danger sign and climbed a fence before she fell.

The United States Park Police said their investigation had determined that 17-year-old Victoria La Rocca and two of her friends "parked a vehicle along El Camino Del Mar... (and) walked down to a fence that has a sign indicating 'Danger Area Closed.'"

"All three juveniles disregarded this sign and made their way through this fence and walked to the Painted Rock cliffs edge," the park police said in a statement. "United States Park Police Detectives confirmed with two of the juveniles that they knew the area was closed to the public but did so anyway."

La Rocca, from Corte Madera and a student at San Francisco's St. Ignatius College Preparatory high school, suffered "extensive trauma to her head and body" as she fell 150 to 200 feet and landed on a large rock.

U.S. Park Police officers responded and found her lying on the rock around 6 feet from the water's edge. Rescuers couldn't immediately reach her from land, so had to get to her via Jet-Ski in the water.

"Strong and treacherous search conditions" initially hampered the rescue crew's ability to reach the victim but ultimately "crews fought aggressively and got to the victim," Fire Department spokesman Jonathan Baxter said.

When they reached her she was still breathing, but died in an ambulance on the way to a hospital.

The park police said their investigation was still ongoing.

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