A 23-year-old California journalist was killed after she plunged more than 30 feet from a rope swing in Sacramento on Saturday, her co-workers confirmed. Kathryn “Katie” Hoedt, who produced the daily 8 a.m. segment of KCRA-TV, an NBC affiliate in Sacramento, landed on rocks near the waters of Folsom Lake and died after being taken to a hospital. The chief ranger of the Gold Fields District of California State Parks told KCRA that rope swings were prohibited in the area where Hoedt fell, calling them “extremely dangerous.” Brittany Hope, a KCRA anchor, wrote on Facebook that Hoedt had been “a shooting star with knowledge and accomplishments far beyond her years,” adding, “Nothing can dim her shine.” The station’s news director, Derek Schnell, told the Sacramento Bee, “She had a vibrant personality, she lit up the newsroom with her enthusiasm and her laughter was contagious. She was also proud to be a journalist and she was deeply committed to serving our community. Katie had a bright future ahead of her and she’ll be deeply missed.”
