YAVAPAI COUNTY, Arizona. – A 39-year-old woman was thrown from her vehicle when it rolled off a cliff in Yavapai County on August 16.

Due to the depth of the rock face, which was about 300 meters, YCSO officers had to wait until the next day to recover the body.

The accident occurred in the Thumb Butte area, about two miles off Copper Basin Road. Officials believe she was traveling north when her car drifted to the right, over the ledge and down the embankment.

The woman, identified as Kristin Little, 39, of Prescott, was found about halfway up the mountain.

When Little’s body was discovered, officials decided that due to darkness and difficult terrain, they would wait until the next day to begin the recovery operation.

Crews remained on site overnight until it was safe to begin their work. Drones and hiking teams with harnesses were used to safely exit the mountain and recover Little.

The incident is currently under investigation as police continue to collect evidence.

“Kristin was the light of my life”

Little’s family says adventure was her middle name, and that’s exactly what she did on the last day of her life along with her beloved dog, CJ.

Jinger and John Cutting say their daughter made every room she entered brighter and more beautiful.

“Kristin was the light of my life,” her mother said.

She was a real estate agent in Prescott and took her career seriously, but you could mostly find her outdoors in nature.

“She and I would hike all the time, all the time. We would head out and meet at my office or somewhere downtown, and we would just go hiking on Thumb Butte or somewhere near the lakes,” Jinger said.

Her father said, “We always rode side by side. We once rode to Cottonwood and back with some friends. She was always looking for adventure.”

Little’s parents say she loved watching the sunset at the top of Thumb Butte Road.

She made a trip there on Friday evening, but during the trip her vehicle went off the road. Little did not survive, but her four-legged best friend CJ was miraculously unharmed.

“When Krissy’s car rolled over, CJ must have jumped out, and when emergency responders arrived at the scene, they found CJ next to Krissy’s body,” her mother said.

CJ was taken to Little’s parents’ house.

“I can’t thank the Yavapai Search and Rescue team enough for what they did. They stayed with my daughter, my sweet girl, all night and made sure she was OK,” Jinger said.

She attributes Little’s Smartwatch and the registration in the Yavapai County Emergency Reporting System to help first responders find her daughter quickly.

“If she hadn’t worn that or received that notification, it could have taken days for us to find Kris,” she said.

In the days since Little’s death, the family has found comfort in positive aspects and overwhelming support from the community.

“It’s just so representative of her and I like that,” Jinger said.

Little’s family says they would like to eventually establish a foundation in her name, but first they are planning a celebration of life in the great outdoors, a place that meant so much to their daughter.

Map of the location where the incident occurred: