Two teenagers have been arrested in connection to a Chillicothe woman’s death at Hocking Hills State Park.
According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the teenagers, ages 16 and 17, were taken into custody Thursday on charges of reckless homicide.
Victoria Schafer, 44, was killed Sept. 2 by a falling tree branch.
She took a trip to Hocking Hills State Park with high school students for their senior photos earlier this month. Schafer was near a cave when part of a tree, located on top of the cave, fell on her leading to her death. ODNR says the tree did not fall naturally.
ODNR previously released a statement saying a group of people on top of the cave may be responsible. The state investigators would not say how it fell nor if the tree was already cut.
Schafer’s husband wrote a message on Facebook saying:
“I want to thank everyone for all of the words of love and support in this trying time. Victoria was truly one of a kind. She was taking photographs at Hocking Hills when this terrible incident happened. She died doing what she loved to do.”
Crime Stoppers had asked anyone who visited the park on September 2 to call them with any pictures or videos they took that day.
