Virginia Mother Dies in 100-Foot Fall Inside Cave

Autumn Nicole Draper's death in a Staffordsville cave remains under investigation as authorities work to uncover the circumstances of the tragic incident.

Autumn Nicole Draper, a 38-year-old mother from Fairlawn, Virginia, fell 100 feet to her death while exploring a cave in Staffordsville, Giles County.
The incident occurred on Friday, and the Giles County Sheriff’s Office, Pearisburg Fire Department, Giles Rescue Squad, Celco Emergency Response team, and Blacksburg Rescue Squad’s Technical Rescue Cave team responded to the scene.
Draper's body was extricated from the cave by rescue personnel, and the scene was cleared around 1 a.m. the following morning.
The circumstances leading up to the fall remain unclear and the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Giles County, where the incident occurred, is home to at least 253 reported caves.