Waco Police are now investigating after finding a body on a trail just below Lovers Leap in Cameron Park.
Investigators believe the person is a man who either jumped or fell off the cliff.
Waco Police received a call from a citizen shortly after 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday about a body found in the trails of Cameron Park.
“We are working it as a questionable death at this point. There doesn’t appear to be any obvious of foul play. There is no crime scene up here,” says Waco Police Sgt. Patrick Swanton.
Swanton says the body had consistent injuries and that he either fell or jumped off the cliff.
“One thing we do know about these cliffs up here is you are not going to unintentionally walk off these cliffs. There is good fencing. There is plenty of signage up. People know it’s up there, so at this point we can somewhat speculate that he, for some reason, he went beyond the safe areas of the cliffs,” Swanton continues.
Waco Police does want to emphasize there is no reason to be worried if you normally hike, walk or jog the trails in Cameron Park.
“Cameron Park is traditionally a safe area. This is one of most scenic spots in Waco. A lot of people come up here. It gets a lot of activity,” Swanton says. “The only time it becomes dangerous is when people put themselves in harm’s way, such as intentionally go beyond the fence.”
But one woman who wanted to remain anonymous says she disagrees. She runs the trails four to five times a week and makes sure to know her surroundings.
“I have to be on the lookout because I know things happen out here. So I am going to get a dog just for that safety. I just feel like it’s safer,” she says.
She says she has heard of the bad things that happen at the park at late hours.
“I know things happen here, but I’m just lucky it hasn’t happened to me,” the woman says. “And I hope it doesn’t. But I think it’s just life, you know.”
ORIGINAL STORY:
Waco police and fire units were sent to the Lovers Leap area of Cameron Park Tuesday morning on what was being listed as a questionable death.
A police department spokesperson confirmed that the body was located on a trail in an area below the Lovers Leap area.
.Personnel were responding both to the top of the cliff and by boat to the lower side of the cliff shortly after 7 a.m. after getting a call that a white male had been found dead on the trail.
Waco Police Department Patrick Swanton said the injuries were consistent with a fall from the cliff and that there were no obvious signs of foul play.
He said the deceased had gone beyond the marked safe areas and either fell off or jumped off the cliff.
The Waco Fire Department assisted with recovery of the body.
Their written report indicated they had launched a boat from Brazos Park East, used a special basket to transport the body town to the boat and took it to the MCC boat dock.
The identity of the man has not been released.
The Lovers Leap park area was reopened about 9 a.m.
