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Authorities Release Names of Victims From Early Morning Fall

12/09/2009

    The names of the victims are being released after notification of next of kin.  As reported earlier, the two people fell from a cliff at the end of Misty Lane, in the Misty River's Subdivision, above the White River, just North of Norfork, Arkansas.. 

     Charles Edward Ragland, age 37 of Mountain Home, was pronounced dead at the scene.  His body was recovered by off the side of a steep bluff approximately 60 ft from the Railroad Tracks, just North of the Sheid Bridge on Hwy 341, near Norfork, Arkansas.  The Norfork Fire Department used repelling and rescue equipment to assist in recovering the body.

     Elizabeth Suzanne Hubbard, age 40 of Mountain Home, was taken by ambulance to Baxter Regional Hospital.  Late this morning she was being transferred to St. Johns Hospital in Springfield, Missouri in critical condition.

     The body of Charles Edward Ragland is being sent to the Medical Examiner's Office in Little Rock to determine the manner and cause of death. 

    The U.S. National Park Service has been called in to assist and will be conducting fall analysis in the next few days.

The investigation is continuing.

Sheriff John Montgomery

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At approximately 5:40 AM this morning, the Sheriff's Office was notified of a 911 call reporting that two persons were missing and had possibly fallen off the cliffs near the Misty Rivers Subdivision along the White River in the Norfork area.

Sheriff's Deputies and first responders from the Norfork Fire Department responded to the scene. They were able to find the two people. One of them, a woman, was injured and transported to Baxter Regional Medical Center. The second person, a male, was found to be deceased. His body is located up a steep cliff along the railroad tracks. The rugged location is causing logistical problems for first responders as they attempt to access and remove the body. The County Coroner's Office has been notified and is enroute to the scene.

Additional details, including the names of the deceased and injured, will be released later in the day.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff