SANTA BARBARA, CA – Over the past three decades, a deadly trend has emerged in the coastal neighborhood of Isla Vista, where 14 individuals, including three students from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), have tragically fallen from a particular cliff stretch.
The most recent casualty was Jacob Parker, a 23-year-old UCSB alumnus who lost his life on April 20 while attending a party at a house situated perilously close to the cliff’s edge. Parker’s mother, Deborah, expressed her grief over the untimely loss of her son who she believed had a promising future ahead of him.
The fatal incident occurred during a party attended by a large group of alumni and students. Parker was attempting to navigate through the crowd to reach a gazebo on the balcony when he climbed over a 42-inch tall metal wire fence onto a narrow concrete ledge. In his attempt to rejoin the party, he lost his footing and fell approximately 50 feet.
Parker’s parents, Deborah and George, have deemed their son’s death as preventable. This sentiment is echoed by local lawmakers who, following the death of 19-year-old UCSB student Benjamin “Benny” Schurmer last year, passed a safety plan requiring all new fences to be 6 feet tall. The grieving parents are now pursuing criminal charges, including involuntary manslaughter, and a civil case in hopes of preventing a 15th victim.
George Parker expressed his desire for accountability, particularly from property managers and owners who he believes have ignored the clear danger posed by inadequate fencing. He likened the cliffs, which stand between about 50 and 100 feet above a strip of sand, to a “serial killer.”
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office stated that there is currently no active criminal investigation but did confirm that a citation was issued to the host of the party for a public nuisance violation. Santa Barbara County Supervisor Laura Capps, who proposed the safety plan, described the 14 known deaths as “entirely preventable” accidents.
Many UCSB students live in properties along the cliff edge, locally known as “the bluffs”. Deborah Parker expressed concern that parents may not fully comprehend the dangers these homes present. Capps echoed this sentiment, citing a “perfect storm” of young people living in unsafe environments along eroding cliffs, parties involving alcohol and drugs, and poorly maintained properties.