A California mother of three tragically fell to her death while hiking with her husband and 1-year-old child on a mountain in Arizona, according to authorities. Zaynab Joseph, 40, fell 140-feet off of a cliff while hiking with her family on Bear Mountain in Sedona. According to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, a group of hikers heard yelling and decided to stop and help. The group of hikers immediately called 911 while one of them climbed down the embankment to help Joseph. While Joseph was still breathing, the sheriff’s office reported that she passed away a short time later. According to her LinkedIn, Joseph was a part-time teacher at an Orange Crescent School in Garden Grove, Calif., and graduated from the University of Toledo.

Joseph's husband and toddler were airlifted off the mountain while rangers and search and rescue volunteers recovered her body. The sheriff's office have interviewed multiple hikers that were hiking the trail at the time of the incident, but reported that the investigation is still ongoing. Joseph and her family, who reside in California, were on vacation and were renting an Airbnb nearby in Sedona.

Friends and family of the mother of three shared their condolences on social media following her tragic death. "She had a heart of gold and was very dear to all of us," Farwa Zaidi, the sister of Joseph, wrote on Facebook. "No words can describe the pain our families are going through, especially her husband and three young children." The following day, Zaidi posted another Facebook message about Joseph that read, “My Zaynab Joseph, I will remember you for the rest of my life! I lost my sister, my friend, my mentor, my kids 'mommi' ❤️ and my confidant. You will live in my heart, forever and ever, always! I love you so so much.”