Woman dies in fall while skating at Bethlehem ice rink

A woman died early Monday after she hit her head in a fall while ice skating at a rink in Bethlehem the day before, officials said.

According to the Lehigh County Coroner's Office, 63-year-old Maria Luisa Jimenez, of Costa Rica, was pronounced at about 1:33 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, after she hit her head while ice skating the day before.

In a statement, a representative for ArtsQuest, a non-profit group that oversees the Ice Rink at SteelStacks where Jimenez suffered her fall, said that she slipped while skating on Sunday afternoon and was taken to a nearby hospital after the fall.

"We are devastated that this incident occurred, and our hearts go out to Ms. Jimenez’s family, friends and loved ones," read a statement from a representative for ArtsQuest.

The county's coroner's office said that Jimenez slipped backwards and hit her head on the ice.

In a report, the coroner's office ruled Jimenez's death an accident.