A teenage girl has died after she slipped from the top of a rock at a state park in Missouri last Saturday. Maria Brielle Schramm, 18, was swimming with friends at Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park in Reynolds County when she climbed to the top of a rock and fell into the Black River.
According to local news network KSDK, park visitors performed CPR on Schramm while waiting for first responders to arrive. Schramm sustained a severe head injury and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Col. Thomas G. Dresner, chief ranger of the Missouri State Park Rangers said the teenager was reluctant as she lost her balance then lost her footing. She eventually slipped and fell approximately 50 feet down.
Dresner said the river is deep enough to avoid hitting the rocks underneath, however the girl fell too close to the edge that she “ended up hitting her head on a rock shelf that was slightly below the surface of the water.”
The chief ranger said the popular summer destination had signs warning visitors not to go in the area where the girl fell. He added that park visitors should always stay on the trails and in areas that have been solely designated for visitors. "There are No Trespassing signs posted. We don’t allow anybody to go up there," Dresner said.
“Some people were climbing up an area near the boardwalk and climbing over the rail.” The park conducts regular enforcement and writes tickets to violators caught climbing rocks in restricted areas with three rangers assigned to work at Johnson's Shut-Ins."These rangers are there watching to make sure people are following the rules and staying safe,” Dresner explained.
Meanwhile, Missouri State Highway Patrol Corporal Juston Wheetley said that the St. Louis area's Troop C has so far responded to 11 drownings within just the first half of 2021 compared to 14 in 2019, and 12 drownings in all of 2020.
The victims range in age from 14 to 67 years.
Don’t overestimate your swimming abilities when swimming in rivers. The river current is relentless and can cause you to tire quickly. Put safety first and always wear a life jacket. pic.twitter.com/3jqTgtcVLz
— MSHP Troop C (@MSHPTrooperC) June 16, 2021
Wheetley said emergency responders across the area are noticing a lot of risky behavior on the water, with alcohol being a major contributing factor in fatal incidents.
The MSHP released a video on Twitter in June about the dangers of swimming in rivers and streams. It advised people to wear a life jacket, not to overestimate one's swimming ability and to swim in a group
