Girl killed during family's Idaho camping trip when rotted tree falls on tent

An 8-year-old girl died jn Idaho after a tree fell onto a tent she was sleeping in during her family's camping trip earlier this month, authorities said.

Cadence Eastin, 8, was camping with her parents and seven siblings on Sept. 9 in Boise National Forest near Mountain Home when a tree fell onto their tent.

According to a GoFundMe page created by a relative, Aurora Pearce, a cottonwood tree fell on the tents the family was sleeping in. Elmore County Sheriff's Office and Elmore County Ambulance rushed to the scene and pronounced Cadence and the family's dog dead.

"We now know that the campsite area was a mix of pine and cottonwood trees and that the particular tree that caused the fatality was a cottonwood tree with rot at its base," police said.

Area previously burned in wildfires

The area where the incident happened was burned a decade earlier during the Elk and Pony complex fires, significantly impacting the landscape. According to Idaho Rangeland, lightning touched-off the fires in 100-degree heat in September 2013. The fires consumed 280,000 acres of rangelands and forests in a matter of days, burning 38 homes and 43 outbuildings during the process.

The Elmore County Sheriff's Office advised people to be cautious of the inherent dangers recreating in remote areas of Elmore County.

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The GoFundMe campaign aims to raise $20,000 to assist the family with the unexpectedly high funeral service cost and help them with their already stretched budget. Per the fundraiser's page, the campaign has exceeded its target and currently stands at $29,000 as of Monday.

"Cadence was a truly special child," Pearce said on the page. "In addition to always having a cheerful, happy nature, she was known for having a perpetual and warm smile."