23-04-2025
Family remembers teen pageant queen who died falling through nonprofit attic floor
DENVER (KDVR) — A teenage pageant queen fell to her death in Pueblo on Friday, falling through an attic at a nonprofit childcare program.
Her family identified her as Joeylin McDonald. They shared photos and memories of the 13-year-old girl with FOX31's Talya Cunningham, telling her that the family, which includes five other children, is taking it one day at a time after her sudden death.
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The family said that Joeylin fell approximately 25 feet and died from her injuries. They said she was attending a community activity night that was intended to be a safe space for children.
Police responded to 330 Lake Avenue in Pueblo at about 7 p.m. on Friday, which is the Rocky Mountain Service Empowerment Center in Pueblo. The center provides early education, workforce and hosts community development programs with locations across the state.
The event on Friday in Pueblo was a youth kickback event. The Pueblo Police Department told media organizations based in Colorado Springs and elsewhere that Joeylin had been exploring the building unsupervised with four other children when they discovered a ladder into the attic.
The five were reportedly walking across the wooden beams of the attic when Joeylin slipped and fell the 25 feet to the floor below. She later died at a hospital despite life-saving measures being taken.
'The most important part of Joeylin is her family,' her mother told Cunningham. 'She is extremely dedicated to her brothers and sisters, and you could never decide if she was a mama's girl or a daddy's girl. Mourning the loss of such a beautiful soul will be a daily task for the rest of our lives. Joeylin is one of a kind and will never be forgotten.'
Joeylin's mother told Cunningham that the 13-year-old had five siblings and described the young teen as 'the brightest soul in the world,' and someone who was sassy, smart, caring and a force to be reckoned with.
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She was attending a charter school in Pueblo, where she was also a soccer star and contestant for Miss Pueblo, where she was the runner-up for Miss Pre-Teen and crowned Miss Spirit. Her family also shared that Joeylin was a dancer, performing jazz, tap, ballet and more.
Neighbors are creating a meal train to help with food, which can be found here. There's also a GoFundMe set up to help with funeral expenses available here.
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