- An 11-year-old girl died in an avalanche near Brighton Ski Resort Feb. 9.
- Madelyn Eitas was identified as the victim; she lacked an avalanche beacon.
- Her brother used an app to locate her; multiple agencies responded to assist.
BRIGHTON — An 11-year-old Massachusetts girl who died Thursday in an avalanche near Brighton Ski Resort has been identified.
The Salt Lake County sheriff's search and rescue teams were called to assist Brighton ski patrol and Wasatch Backcountry Rescue with the avalanche in the Rock Garden area just before 1 p.m. on Thursday.
"Rescuers located a juvenile female along the slide path and immediately provided first aid," the sheriff's office said.
The girl was later identified as Madelyn Eitas, of Rochester, Massachusetts, Unified police spokesperson Aymee Race announced in press release Friday.
Members of her family and more than 20 others who were in the area began initial search efforts to find Madelyn, the department said.
Her brother, Cameron, "heroically" used an application to locate her, according to the Unified Police Department.
"The communities here in Utah, as well as the family's home community in Massachusetts, now have the important responsibility of rallying around the family to provide support, compassion and comfort in times ahead," Race said in a statement.
The avalanche occurred in an area that was "out of bounds" for recreational skiing, said Unified police detective Quin Wilkins.
Madelyn, who was said to be at the resort with her family, was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition but later died, according to Wilkins.
Rescuers later learned that the girl did not have an avalanche beacon, Wilkins noted. The device can help rescuers locate a buried victim through a transmitted signal.
"I want to thank all the responding agencies for their quick response to this avalanche. The conditions are ever changing with the unpredictable snowpack," said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera in a statement. "This incident is a reminder that avalanches can happen in an instant. I offer my heartfelt prayers to the victim and her family."
The slide prompted a response from multiple agencies across Salt Lake County.
Wilkins said the area where the avalanche took place has been evaluated to make sure there is no continued risk, though it is still considered an "out of bounds" area.
Brighton Mayor Scotty John expressed condolences for the family of the young girl.
"Written words are never enough to express the feelings of sadness or loss felt at an event like this," he said in a statement Friday. "Having said that, on behalf of the town of Brighton, I extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the young girl who lost her life. Our entire community mourns alongside her family during this unimaginable time."
Thursday's incident was the second fatal avalanche in the past 24 hours.
On Wednesday, a man was killed in an avalanche while riding a snowmobile in the backcountry near Midway with his son, according to the Utah Avalanche Center.
