Teens ignored danger sign before deadly cliff plunge

SAN FRANCISCO -- A teenager who tumbled to her death at San Francisco Land's End ignored a posted danger sign and climbed a fence before she fell, CBS San Francisco reports. 

U.S. Park Police say 17-year-old Victoria La Rocca and two of her friends "parked a vehicle along El Camino Del Mar" and walked "to a fence that has a sign indicating 'Danger Area Closed.'"

"All three juveniles disregarded this sign and made their way through this fence and walked to the Painted Rock cliffs edge," the park police said in a statement. "United States Park Police Detectives confirmed with two of the juveniles that they knew the area was closed to the public but did so anyway."

La Rocca, a student of San Francisco's St. Ignatius College Preparatory high school, suffered extensive trauma to her head and body as she fell 150 to 200 feet and landed on a large rock. 

Upon their arrival, U.S. Park Police officers found La Rocca about 6 feet from the water's edge. Rescuers couldn't immediately reach her from land, so they rescued her by Jet Ski in the ocean. 

"Strong and treacherous search conditions" initially hampered the rescue crew's ability to reach the victim but ultimately "crews fought aggressively and got to the victim," Fire Department spokesman Jonathan Baxter said.

Authorities said La Rocca succumbed to her injuries as she was being transported to a hospital. 

The incident remains under investigation.