Woman dies after getting stuck upside down on Arizona-Mexico border wall

PHOENIX – A woman died Monday after getting stuck upside down on a border fence while trying to climb into Arizona from Mexico, authorities said.

The 32-year-old woman, who was using rappelling-type gear, got tangled up while she was lowering herself down on the U.S. side of the wall, the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office said on social media.

It’s unclear how long the woman was hanging from her legs or feet before she was located and taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Mexican authorities were notified and provided details to the sheriff’s office.

An autopsy was being conducted to determine the cause of death.

The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident, which occurred off International Road and Kings Highway, several miles west of the Douglas Port of Entry.

“These types of incidents are not political, they are humanitarian realities that someone has lost a loved one in a senseless tragedy,” Sheriff Mark Dannels said.

“We have to do better in finding solutions to the challenges facing our border, and we have to do it for the right reasons.”

Customs and Border Protection said its Office of Professional Responsibility is working with the sheriff’s office on the investigation and would release more information as it becomes available.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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