A father made the gut-wrenching discovery of his 13-year-old son’s body after the teenager fell from a 200ft bluff near an Arkansas river.
Kayleb Lynn Eddings was hiking with a friend at Buffalo National River when he lost his balance and slipped near the edge of Brewer Bluff’s overlook.
The Searcy County Sheriff’s Office received a call that the teen had fallen from the cliff in the park’s middle district around 11am on Saturday.
First responders and rescue volunteers rushed to the scene as Harrison firefighters rappelled over the 260ft down the bluff.
The boy’s father, Toby Eddings, was the first to find his son’s unresponsive body, KHBS reported.
He told the local outlet that his grieving family is together asked for privacy.
The 13-year-old’s fall is currently being investigated and there are no advisories or dangers in the area, the National Park Service said.
Searcy County Sheriff Kenny Cassell called the death ‘a tragic accident’ and said the terrain in the area can be ‘rugged and steep’.
Kayleb Lynn Eddings was reportedly hiking with a friend at Buffalo National River, when he slipped on loose gravel and fatally plummeted
The police said he lost his balance near the edge of Brewer Bluff’s overlook and fell from the overlook point
The Harrison Fire Department ‘repelled’ or used climbing gear and ropes to descend 260ft over the edge of the bluff
Park officials warned hikers to ‘stay a safe distance from the edge’ while enjoying the viewpoint.
The family lives near the bluff in Searcy County, and the 13-year-old was in 8th grade at the Ozark Mountain School District in Harrison, Arkansas.
Kayleb’s obituary described him as bright and jovial, ‘loved by everyone who had the fortune to meet him’.
‘While there are many words to describe Kayleb, the most accurate and profound word is LOVE,’ it read.
He loved riding his four-wheeler, hanging out with his friends, collecting Hot Wheels and hunting with his grandpa.
‘He loved his mother above all others. She was his light and life and he hers.
‘Most of all, he loved aggravating his younger brothers and absolutely adored his youngest brother, Bean.
The Buffalo National River flows freely for 135 miles and is one of the few remaining undammed rivers in the lower 48 states, according to its website.
His obituary described him as bright and jovial, ‘loved by everyone who had the fortune to meet him’
The park spans almost 100,000 acres, and has about 800,000 visitors per year.
There is over 100 miles of hiking trails and designated trails for horseback riding, and water-based activities with multiple launch points along the river, the website said.
The park’s safety section warns ‘there are many bluffs, sinkholes, and caves within the park. Be careful along bluffs – the rock may crumble and a landslide could occur.’
The Daily Mail reached out to the Searcy County Sheriff’s Office for comment.
