Thousands were left shocked when a video of a 16-year-old girl being pushed off a bridge, plummeting 60 feet into water, went viral last week.
The original footage showed teenager Jordan Holgerson hesitating atop a bridge in Moulton Falls Regional Park in Yacolt, north of Portland. Deciding not to jump, she is allegedly heard mumbling "No, I won't go", only to be shoved off the bridge by a friend and sent hurtling towards the water from more than three stories in the air.
But, although the public had evidence of Holgerson being shoved, what really happened in the moments before she fell remained unclear. Now, however, brand new footage has emerged, shedding further light on the facts of the horrific incident.
Obtained by Today, the extended video shows Holgerson repeatedly expressing doubts about jumping - "Stop...wait" she tells the people around her - only to be seemingly pressured into it by her friend Taylor Smith, who is reportedly now waiting to learn if she will be charged for pushing her.
Despite her friend's hesitation, 18-year-old Smith can allegedly be heard telling her: "Just go you promised you would do it. I'm going to push you. Stop talking! Stop talking!" She then attempts to reassure her friend, saying: "I don't care. I'd jump in there to save you if anything happens. Jordan, I got you."
In the seconds before the push, a male friend can be heard telling Smith "She's saying no", but she appears to pay little attention to him, instead shoving the 16-year-old with no warning, causing her to belly flop into the water 60-feet below.
The new video comes just after Smith spoke publicly for the first time on Good Morning America, claiming that Holgerson asked her to push her and that she thought her friend "would be fine".
"She wanted to jump and she was scared and she asked me to give her a push, I didn't think about the consequences," Smith said. "I've apologized several times, but I haven't been able to see her in person. I went to the hospital. I got asked to leave, I wasn't allowed to see her. I never intended to hurt her, ever. I'm really sorry it turned out that way. I just pray she heals."
Viewers of the original jarring nine-second clip were left appalled after Holgerson was left seriously injured by the incident. Despite her attempt to land toes first and limit any damage, she suffered five cracked ribs, a bruised oesophagus, injuries to her trachea, as well as air trapped in the lining of her lungs, according to her mother.
A week after the incident went viral, however, reports suggested that prosecutors are considering charging suspected Smith. The Columbian reported Tuesday that the Clark County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit had completed its investigation into the incident and was forwarding the case to the prosecutor’s office for possible charges. In a press release, the sheriff’s office added that 18-year-old Smith is cooperating with investigators.
While family members stated that the 16-year-old initially didn't want to see Smith charged, she has apparently since had a change of heart now. "Now that I've thought about it more, I'm kind of wanting her to sit in jail and think about at least what she did," Holgerson said in an interview with Today.
We wish Jordan a speedy recovery.
