Little girl was so excited to be on vacation she ran ahead of her family at stunning cliff...then tragedy struck
Bianca Bernardon Zanella, 11, took off running and fell from the edge of Fortaleza Canyon in Cambará do Sul, the Rio Grande do Sul Fire Department said.
Zanella's father told Cambará do Sul police chief Fernanda Aranha they were about to return to the base of the canyon before his wife escorted their two youngest children to a snack bar.
He stood behind with Zanella, who had autism. They were about to sit on a bench located in an area of the canyon that is considered the highest point.
Zanella at one point ran while her father was not looking and was chased before falling off the cliff around 1pm local time.
The youngster's body was located in the canyon around 5:30 pm with the use of a drone that was deployed by the fire department.
A search mission via helicopter was postponed due to fog and bad weather at the canyon.
A team of firefighters rappelled into the mountain in a mission and found Bianca dead at around 11pm.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was shocked by Zanella's death.
'The death of little Bianca Zanella, 11, moved me deeply,' Lula wrote on his X account Friday morning.
'She fell from a cliff in the Serra Geral National Park, in Rio Grande do Sul, and despite the brave efforts of security forces, it was not possible to rescue her alive.
'I express my deepest sympathy to his parents and family, and I pray that God brings them comfort in this time of grief.'
Serra Geral National Park was closed to visitors on Friday as part of a Rio Grande do Sul Civil Police investigation.
Fortaleza Canyon, which is 4.7 miles long and 6,561 feet wide, is 3,795 above sea level and 14 miles from the city center.
The site features several guarded trails, including the Mirante Trail, which offers a complete view of the canyon.
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