Who was Kathryn Hoedt? All about the news producer killed in the Folsom Lake accident

On Sunday, August 13, KCRA news producer Kathryn Hoedt died in a rope swing accident at Folsom Lake, California. Hoedt, 23, reportedly fell 30 feet from the rope swing and received critical injuries after landing near the rocky shore. The victim was subsequently transported to the hospital, where medical officials confirmed she had died.

According to her LinkedIn page, Kathryn Hoedt worked as both a news producer and a freelance journalist. She had been working with KCRA out of Sacramento since October 2022. Derek Schnell, a news director at Channel 3, said that the victim's tragic death destroyed her promising future in journalism.

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"She was also proud to be a journalist": All there is to know about Kathryn Hoedt

In 2021, Kathryn Hoedt, also known as Katie, graduated with a bachelor's in journalism and mass communications from San Jose State University. She dipped into the news world there, as she was a sports editor, executive producer, and graphic designer with various student-led publications.

At the time of the incident, Hoedt was on a trip to Lake Folsom with her friends(image via Emmy SF TV NATAS NorCAL/Facebook)

In August 2022, Hoedt graduated with a master's in journalism from New York University. Subsequently, she became a teleprompter script writer at KTXL Fox 40 News. After seven months with the company, she left the job to work with KCRA. As per KCRA, Hoedt primarily handled the production of the 8 am newscast.

Channel 3 News director Derek Schnell commemorated Kathryn Hoedt's efforts in a short statement. He said:

“Our team is heartbroken about the loss of Katie Hoedt. She had a vibrant personality, she lit up the newsroom with her enthusiasm and her laughter was contagious. She was also proud to be a journalist and she was deeply committed to serving our community. Katie had a bright future ahead of her and she’ll be deeply missed.”

Andy Hoedt, Katie's father predicted a bright future for his daughter.

“She’s just made such a massive impact and only at 23. I just wish she could have been here for another 60, 70 years. I can’t image what she could have done. It’s just devastating to me," Andy said.

Katie's mother, Beth Hoedt, recalled that her daughter was usually upbeat and joyful and that she frequently stayed in touch with her friends and family via FaceTime.

“I can’t believe it’s real, you know, she was such a bright light. Today, I tried to get some work done, and it was really, really hard because I knew Katie’s never going to be calling me again, and it’s going to be just something that I’m never going to get used to," Beth said.

Kathryn Hoedt is survived by her parents, a younger brother, and an elder sister.

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Are rope swings to blame for Kathryn Hoedt's death?

After Hoedt fell from the rope swing, she was reportedly moved by her friends to a boat ramp, where a doctor near the scene attempted CPR on her. Subsequently, first responders from the Placer County Fire Department took her to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

In an official statement, Folsom Sector Superintendent Mike Howard said that rope swings are not allowed in the State park. He said that in many cases, State Park officials often cut down rope swings. Despite this, several online videos still show visitors using rope swings in Folsom Park.

Howard said:

“This is something we don’t allow here at state parks, and we do make an effort to cut down the rope swings that we see because of situations like this (...) They really just shouldn’t be trusted."

He continued:

“A rope swing may be safer earlier in the season. And then as the season progresses, they get much more dangerous. In this incident, I think she was just trying to have a good time, do something exciting."

Officials have not discussed the possibility of foul play in Kathryn Hoedt's death.