A 13‑year‑old boy tragically died after falling about 200 feet from Brewer Bluff on the Buffalo National River in Arkansas. The accident happened Saturday, Oct. 18, when the Searcy County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call around 11 a.m. that a teenager had slipped off a cliff near the park’s Middle District.
Park staff, volunteer search‑and‑rescue teams, the Harrison Fire Department, and the National Park Service (NPS) rushed to the scene. Members of the fire department rappelled down 260 feet to the bluff while park rangers approached from the river below. The body of Kayleb Lynn Eddings was found unresponsive by his father, Toby Eddings, who was among the first responders.
“Buffalo National River staff and I send our condolences to this young man’s family,” said park Superintendent Angela Boyers. “We also thank the responders from the local communities that showed up to assist with this incident.” Kayleb was with a friend when he lost his footing near the overlook. The NPS confirmed there were no park advisories, but warned that the terrain in the area can be steep and rugged and urged visitors to keep a safe distance from the edges.
The Searcy County Sheriff’s Office and the NPS are jointly investigating the fall. According to the Department of the Interior, the incident does not pose a general safety danger to other visitors, but officials continue to remind people to stay away from the cliff edges.
Kayleb, an eighth‑grader at Ozark Mountain School District, was described by his family as a bright, joyful boy who loved riding his four‑wheeler, collecting Hot Wheels with his dad, hunting with his grandfather, and spending time with his brothers.
His obituary said he was “loved by everyone who had the fortune to meet him” and that “there are no words to express the deafening quiet that has filled the space where Kayleb’s voice once reverberated.” A celebration of life will be held Thursday, Oct. 23, at 2:30 p.m. in the St. Joe School gymnasium in St. Joe, Arkansas.
For safety tips when hiking or exploring the Buffalo National River, visit the NPS website or contact local ranger stations.
Source: New York Post
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