Cadence Eastin: Family camping trip turns into tragedy as twin girl, 8, dies with dog after tree falls on tent
Identical twin Cadence Eastin and Sybil, the family dog, were killed after a rotten tree fell on their tent while they slept
LOWMAN, IDAHO: An eight-year-old girl who was an identical twin was killed when a tree fell on top of her family's tent while they were camping in Idaho.
Last weekend, the Eastin family from Paul, Idaho, was camping at the Boise National Forest Pine Campground when a dead cottonwood tree fell on top of their tent, killing Cadence Eastin and Sybil, the family dog.
Tragedy strikes during family trip
Elmore County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived quickly, but after unsuccessful attempts to revive the girl, they declared her dead. When the tragedy occurred, Cadence was with her parents, Quin and Natasha Eastin, and seven siblings, including Cadence's twin London, as reported by Daily Mail.
Since then, the sheriff's office has disclosed that the tree that struck her was discovered to be rotting at the base. In order to establish the official cause of the tree falling, police have spoken with representatives from the Boise National Forest.
Apparently, the area where the tree fell had been burned during the 2013 Elk and Pony complex fires. Several burned-out trees were left behind, which over time could have decayed and become unstable.
Fundraiser for Cadence Eastin's family
The family is devastated by the loss, according to a GoFundMe page.
The fundraiser page reads, "Cadence was a truly special child. In addition to always having a cheerful, happy nature, she was known for having a perpetual and warm smile."
The family wrote in a tribute, "She loved animals and they loved her. It is especially revealing that the family dog was curled up next to her when the tree fell taking both of their lives."
They added, "Cadence was bright, intelligent and an eager to learn student. Curiously, she almost always hung out with the adults at family gatherings and seemed to have been gifted with a higher intellect than would normally be expected of an 8-year old child."
"Being raised in a Christian family, she was taught to be kind to others, made friends easily and avoided quarreling with others," the tribute noted. The GoFundMe has already raised more than $28,000 to assist in covering the funeral expenses.
