Florida teen dies in SC youth camp accident

A teen girl has died after falling from a rope swing at a Christian camp on Sassafras Mountain, the Pickens County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday.

Olivia Paige Grimes, 16, of Lakeland, Florida, was attending the Carolina Point — Young Life Camp when the accident happened late Monday afternoon, said Chief Deputy Creed Hashe.

Hashe said Grimes was seated and attached to a pendulum rope swing with two other campers when she became unattached and fell approximately 120 feet.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Grimes was a member of Oasis Community Church, which has posted a statement on its website asking members to pray for the family.

"It's with deepest sorrow and broken hearts that we let you know that Olivia Grimes, the sixteen-year-old daughter of Pastor Phil and Robyn and sister of Sabrina, passed away on Monday after an accident at a summer camp," the statement said.

The swing Grimes fell from is one of several rope courses at the week-long Young Life Camp that straddles Brevard, North Carolina, and Pickens County.

The youth adventure camp is one of 22 in operation across the U.S.

A spokeswoman for Young Life headquarters in Colorado said all camp rides, including the swings, are subject to "strict protocols regarding upkeep of equipment as well as safety training and operating procedures."

"Safety is our highest priority," said Aleesha Mathis, Young Life public relations and marketing coordinator.

"We have swings at 13 of our camps; all are currently closed as a measure of precaution and to ensure a safe experience for our campers. We do not yet know what happened at Carolina Point. We are deeply saddened by this tragic accident and are doing our best to care for everyone involved," Mathis said.

The Sheriff's Office was investigating the circumstances of what Hashe said appears to be an accidental fall.

He said two staffers were supervising the ride at the time.

The pendulum swing course will be closed pending the outcome of the investigation and a complete inspection of all ride equipment, according to Hashe.

The S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation said the swing — something akin to a Tarzan rope — hasn't been inspected since it doesn't appear to meet the definition of an amusement ride.

However, the department said inspectors have been sent to the scene to find out more about the device.

Romando Dixson and Karen Chávez contributed to this report.

This story was originally published July 15, 2015 at 8:00 AM.