Couple found dead at Angel Falls near Yosemite: “James died a hero”

A Madera County couple was found dead in Angel Falls last week, prompting authorities to remind summer hikers of the dangers of the rushing waters during the summer snowmelt.

Monica Ledesma and James Hall, both 35, were found by the Madera County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday after officers received a report of an unconscious woman in the water near Angel Falls.

Officers first found Ledesma, then “found items that led them to believe an adult male may also be missing.” Hall was then found.

Hall’s family said in a GoFundMe campaign that he was trying to save Ledesma when he died.

“James died a hero trying to save his friend Monica,” they wrote. “Sadly, they were both taken from us.”

Authorities said fast-flowing water could be dangerous even near civilizations.

“At locations like Angel Falls, which are close to parking lots and hiking trails, hikers often have a false sense of security about the dangers that exist there,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “Extra caution should be used when hiking near water. Rocks can be extremely slippery, even when not wet. One wrong step can result in serious injury or death.”

The water at Angel Falls is “extremely fast and deadly cold,” authorities said.

While officers were searching for the couple, another report came in of a woman with a possible broken leg in Lewis Creek, authorities said.

The woman was found with a sprained ankle sustained while hiking and was carried out on a stretcher.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to the families of those lost at Angel Falls today,” said Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue. “We want to thank our partners for their outstanding support and response to today’s events, the simultaneous occurrence of which placed a significant strain on our resources. I applaud the efforts of the rescue and recovery teams who performed their duties diligently and respectfully.”

In a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for her funeral, Ledesma’s family described her as a “loving mother, sister and daughter who left behind a daughter and a son.”