UNC student found dead after disappearing on hike in South African national park
A UNC-Chapel Hill student was found dead Sunday after disappearing on a hike in a South African national park, authorities said.
Brook Cheuvront, 20, of Avery County, went missing Saturday when she didn’t return from a solo trip to Table Mountain National Park, according to reports from CBS News, ABC News and Cape Town Etc, a South African media outlet, citing local authorities. Friends reported Cheuvront’s disappearance after her tracking app stopped updating and she didn’t answer her phone, South African National Parks officials said, without naming the hiker.
Cheuvront’s body was reportedly found on the slopes of Devil’s Peak, described by local travel blogs as a challenging 3-to-4-hour hike on exposed terrain that can turn treacherous in windy or rainy weather. Saturday’s weather reports indicate potential windy conditions at the time of Cheuvront’s hike.
The junior was a recipient of the Morehead-Cain scholarship, a prestigious program that fully funds undergraduate tuition, according to a UNC blog post. A graduate of Avery High School in Newland, Cheuvront was passionate about astronomy, environmental justice and creative writing, the post said.
A LinkedIn profile appearing to belong to Cheuvront lists her as a double major in English and philosophy with a minor in astronomy. The profile states Cheuvront began an internship in August at Justice Desk South Africa, a human rights nonprofit based in South Africa with operations in seven other African countries. Her work involved educating young boys from communities affected by gang violence on gender-based issues and facilitating sessions with South African high school students on topics like consent and cyber bullying.
Cheuvront was an an avid hiker, according to her social media profiles, which list her as an August 2022 graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School in Washington state and an experienced backpacker. Before departing for South Africa last month, she interned at two law firms in Helena, Montana, and took backpacking trips through several national and state parks, her Instagram account shows.
In a Sept. 15 post, Cheuvront wrote, “This was truly a once in a lifetime weekend; I am so thankful to be here. Missing home as always; but knowing that I’m carrying my family, my partner, and my friends with me everywhere I go.”
The News & Observer was not able to immediately reach UNC or South African National Parks officials on Monday morning.
This story was originally published September 23, 2024 at 10:38 AM.
