A 13-year-old pageant contestant died Friday after falling through an attic at a Pueblo nonprofit childcare center, leaving her grieving family and community in shock.
Joeylin McDonald, described by her family as a vibrant and loving teenager, plummeted approximately 25 feet during a youth event at the Rocky Mountain Service Empowerment Center. Despite life-saving efforts, she succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital.
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The Pueblo Police Department confirmed that Joeylin and four other children had been exploring the building unsupervised when they found a ladder leading to the attic. While walking across the wooden beams, Joeylin lost her footing and fell.
Her heartbroken mother told FOX31’s Talya Cunningham: “The most important part of Joeylin is her family. She is extremely dedicated to her brothers and sisters, and you could never decide if she was a mama’s girl or a daddy’s girl. Mourning the loss of such a beautiful soul will be a daily task for the rest of our lives.”
Joeylin, the eldest of six siblings, was remembered as “the brightest soul in the world”—a sassy, smart, and fiercely caring young girl. A talented dancer trained in jazz, tap, and ballet, she was also a rising soccer star and a standout in pageantry. She had recently been crowned Miss Spirit and was runner-up for Miss Pueblo Pre-Teen.
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The tragedy occurred during a “youth kickback” event at the center, which provides early education and community programs. Authorities are investigating how the children accessed the attic unsupervised.
As the McDonald family struggles to cope, neighbors have organized a meal train to support them, and a GoFundMe has been set up to help cover funeral expenses.
“Joeylin is one of a kind and will never be forgotten,” her mother said through tears. The community now mourns a life cut tragically short, remembering a girl whose light touched everyone around her.
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