Austin ISD Teacher Killed In Hiking Accident In El Paso

AUSTIN, TX — An Austin ISD teacher was killed while hiking in the Franklin Mountains in El Paso on Monday, according to KVIA, an El Paso ABC affiliate.

Christina Garcia-Mata, 39, was found dead before 6 p.m. Monday in west El Paso. El Paso fire and police said she was hiking when she was swept away by rushing water and fell down the mountain, injuring herself.

Garcia-Mata had been a teacher at Akins Early College High School in Austin since 2006. She was named the 2017-2018 Akins Early College High School Teacher of the Year, according to the Eagle's Eye, the student newspaper at the high school.

The student newspaper said Garcia-Mata was originally from El Paso and taught Teen Leadership, SEL, U.S. History and AVID at Akins High.

The El Paso Fire Department received a report of a missing hiker around 4 p.m. Monday. The El Paso Combined Search and Rescue team responded and found her body around 6 p.m.

Her death has been ruled as accidental, officials said.

Gabriel Mata, her husband, told KVIA his family lived in Austin and were visiting family in El Paso. He said Garcia-Mata was a dedicated teacher who connected with her students.

AISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said Tuesday the district was "shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of a member of our Austin ISD family."

"Christina Garcia-Mata was a dedicated and passionate educator who worked endlessly for her students for 15 years. Her colleagues knew her as a bright, warm presence who could lift their spirits with a smile and a story," Elizalde said. "We send our heartfelt condolences to her family and every life that she touched. Austin ISD is making guidance counselors available to students or staff who may need help processing this loss. To speak to a counselor, please contact the Akins ECHS campus at 512-841-9901."

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Garcia-Mata's family.