NEED TO KNOW
- A 34-year-old father died at a national park on Aug. 23
- Stephen Queen was attempting to pick up a plastic bottle when he suffered a fatal fall
- The man was remembered by family as an environmentalist who was “passionate about the climate”
A father fell to his death as he was attempting to pick up a plastic bottle at a national park.
Stephen Queen, 34, suffered a fatal fall at Morialta National Park in Adelaide, Australia, on Saturday, Aug. 23, around 12:30 p.m. local time.
The South Australia Police (SAPOL) were called to the park following “reports a man had fallen,” authorities said in a statement. Despite the response from “numerous emergency services,” the victim — from the suburb of Tranmere — died at the scene.
“Police are investigating the circumstances of [the] death. At this stage, it is not believed to be suspicious,” SAPOL said. “Police will prepare a report for the coroner.”
Stephen’s family later identified him as the victim while speaking with Australia’s Nine News. They remembered him as both a loving father and an environmentalist who was “passionate about the climate.”
Witnesses also recalled the tragedy to the outlet, recalling that the man fell down a ravine near Deep View Lookout before authorities arrived. One witness said a woman approached him to ask for help.
“She said she just met with this man in class and she just for the first time went out with him and this thing happened,” witness Aliman Tazudin said. “She said her friend doesn’t like littering and because he saw a bottle over the fence so he tried to go over the fence and right after that he fell down.”
Park goer William White told Nine News that “a bunch of firetrucks and police vehicles” were on site following the man’s fall, prompting the park to be closed for several hours afterward.
Katherine Queen, Stephen’s sister, told Nine News their father called her to notify her of the “terrible accident” the following day.
“No one can believe it. He was so young, so full of energy,” she said in an interview, also shared by 7 NEWS Adelaide. “He was passionate about climate, he was passionate about our society, and of course, he would be trying to get litter off the ground.”
Katherine recalled that her brother — who visited the conservation park every week — was a man who “could talk to anyone about anything,” liked learning about “different cultures” and loved coffee.
Stephen wanted to have a career in environmental science, per Nine News. “I want to make sure he had a lasting impact, because I know he would want that,” his sister said.
As for Stephen’s 8-year-old daughter, Katherine explained, “Everything he did was for her.”
National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for further information on Sunday, Aug. 24.
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