Georgia woman falls to her death after fence breaks on steep cliff, Maine cops say

A Georgia woman died after a broken fence sent her falling off a steep cliff, news outlets reported.

The woman was vacationing in Maine when she left a main trail and leaned on an old fence on Monday, Sept. 19. The fence broke, causing her to plunge about 30 feet down a cliff, the Scarborough Police Department told WGME.

The woman’s sister and a fisherman called 911 to report the incident, which happened at about 10:30 a.m. along the edge of a cliff walk, according to WCSH.

The woman was found with “critical” injuries and rushed to a hospital, where she died. She was identified in news reports as Romona Gowens of Calhoun, Georgia, roughly 65 miles northwest of Atlanta.

The 54-year-old died the day before her birthday, the Portland Press Herald reported.

“It’s kind of gut sinking,” Anna Strout of the nearby town of Cape Elizabeth told WGME. “I’m shocked actually to hear that somebody fell to their death.”

As of Sept. 19, an investigation was ongoing. There were no suspicious circumstances tied to the fall, which was reported outside of Portland and near the mile-long Prouts Neck Cliff Walk, according to WMTW.

“The Cliff Walk is NOT a manicured or flat path — it is a largely natural, narrow trail along the edge of rocky cliffs and the ocean, over sharp rocks, and across pebble beaches,” a post on proutsneckcliffwalk.org said. “It will be slippery and wet in places. Some sections require climbing up and down over irregular terrain. It can be quite dangerous walking, especially for young children and persons with mobility issues.”

The Scarborough Police Department didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on Sept. 20.

26-year-old woman dies in skydiving accident near Georgia airport, officials say

Man tumbles 20 feet down manhole and gets stuck for an hour, Florida rescuers say