Buffalo Family Suffers Fall Off Cliff, Killing Parents And Injuring 4-Year Old

BUFFALO, NY — Authorities are still trying to understand what caused a family's outdoor excursion in in the Zoar Valley Gorge to take a tragic turn this weekend, leaving two young children in the hospital and killing their parents.

The 4-year-old Alexander Green survived a fall from a cliff that killed his parents, while his 7-year-old brother Jacob was found near the site of the incident. Alexander was airlifted to a Buffalo hospital in critical condition, and Jason was admitted for unspecified non-life-threatening injuries.

The bodies of parents Amanda Green, 35, and William Green, 33, both of Buffalo, were discovered along with Alexander in the Zoar Valley Gorge shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday, Erie County Sheriff Timothy Howard said.

Rescue crews also found sneakers that were too large for the 4-year-old and began a search. Eventually, they found Jacob walking nearby, officials said.

Authorities believe the two adults and child fell about 200 feet (60 meters) down a steep cliff but are not sure what caused the fall.

Hikers came upon the adults' bodies, Howard said.

"The first two hikers who found the bodies did not have a cellphone," Howard said. "They flagged down a third hiker who made the call."

The Zoar Valley, on the Erie-Cattaraugus county line 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of Buffalo, is a popular hiking and kayaking spot, with scenic cliffs as high as 400 feet (122 meters) and the whitewater Cattaraugus Creek running through the gorge.

The gorge has been the scene of several rescue operations in recent years after hikers got hurt or became lost.

Photo credit: Antepenultimate