SPECIAL REPORT: Yuma County’s 2024 Year in Review
Valeria Rodriguez shares Yuma County's Year in Review based off the top stories of this year.
YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - As 2024 is coming to an end we want to highlight the top local stories that caught your attention this year.
Crime related stories garnered the most attention from our viewers in Desert Southwest.
"Unfortunately, Miss Kissinger was found with trauma associated with a fall at a bottom of a ridge about a quarter mile of the main trail," said Sgt. Edgar Guirra with the Yuma County Sheriff's Office (YCSO).
The year started off with a 58-year-old woman found dead after hiking in the area of Telegraph Pass in February.
Just a month later, Rural Metro Fire Department (RMFD) responded to a fiery car crash in early March. They say the driver died due to his injuries.
Just as the month of March was wrapping up, one teen died after their truck fell into a canal and was left trapped and unable to escape. 15-year-old Jakob Kelly leaving his four siblings and parents behind.
"And he knew it, he still treated himself like my baby. He was my baby. He is my baby...If my son could have survived off of love alone, he would have out lived us all, we loved him so much," said Danielle and Jerimiah Kelly, Jakob's parents.
In June, another car crash by 14th Avenue and 11st Street claimed two lives, a 16-year-old boy and an 18-year-old girl.
In other crime related news, a stash house, hiding over 20 migrants, was busted by Yuma Sector Border Patrol in August.
Later that month, the Yuma Fire Department (YFD) responded to a house fire by Avenue C and 12th Street.
We also featured a local icon that did not disappoint: A rock located in the Wendy's in the Foothills rocked the community as it has its own Facebook page with over 2,000 friends.
In October, two brothers brought a new swap meet to Yuma County, located right in front of the Cocopah Casino after the old swap meet in town closed down last year.
"This is something that has been needed for the community" said Luis Guzman, the manager of 95 Swap Meet.
In November, human remains were found in a burn pile on the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation, which the Imperial County Sheriff's Office (ICSO) called it a homicide and had a person of interest.
We also featured two Emmy Award-winning stories, including Yuma's very own "Tom the Trucker Cat." Tom was found after being missing for 40 days in central Minnesota after the community rallied to help find and return him.
"And we depended on this community and thank God that all these people came together," said Marie Sanchez, Tom's owner.
There were also weather-storming headlines. Although we did not get much rain, we did see a lot of heat, and we broke a record of it being the hottest summer in Yuma, with the hottest day being July 8 at 117 degrees.
"It's surreal. It hasn't sunk in yet...It doesn't seem real. It might not sink in for a while," Ortiz expressed.
"I have been coaching 30 years now. I'm kind of at a different stage now in life right now," Stallworth shared.
If you want to revist any of our top stories, visit our website HERE.
