An 18-year-old Big Bear resident, identified as aspiring baker Bella Fanuele, died after falling from a support structure at the Big Bear Dam, a location reportedly favored by local youth.
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a search and rescue call Tuesday around 11 p.m. after the young woman fell from the dam's support structure, located below Highway 18. Upon arrival, authorities discovered Fanuele had fallen from the top of the structure.
Rescue personnel, including the Big Bear Fire Department, located the victim down a hill below the support. Despite efforts to administer lifesaving measures at the scene, Fanuele was pronounced deceased. The Sheriff's Department indicated that initial findings do not suggest any suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident.
Friends of Fanuele gathered at the bridge on Wednesday, leaving flowers at a spontaneous memorial. Local residents informed media outlets that the area beneath the highway is a known gathering spot for young people.
According to a GoFundMe campaign established to support her family, Fanuele was a recent high school graduate eager to begin college and fulfill her ambition of opening a bakery. Her family now aims to establish a bakery in her name to honor her memory and aspirations.
