Woman Swept Away by Waterfall Was Reaching for Branch — Not Taking Photos

A California woman who officials said died while taking photos at a Lake Tahoe waterfall was actually swept away by fast moving waters while reaching for a tree branch, authorities said Sunday.

The North Tahoe Fire Protection District said its initial account, which it publicized in a now-deleted Facebook post about the perils of taking photos in dangerous areas, was based on information “available at the time” from bystanders and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, NBC News reports.

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But in a statement posted Sunday, the district said the woman was reaching for a branch last week “when she was taken over the falls.”

In an email, a family friend, Nelly Maltez, said Espinosa didn’t have her phone when she died.“I understand that other accidents have occurred due to individuals taking selfies, but this was most definitely not one of them,” she said.

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Photo Credit: David Silverman/Getty Images

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