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An adventure-loving real estate agent was killed when her car veered off the side of a steep Arizona mountainside Friday — though her four-legged best friend miraculously survived the 1,000-foot tumble, according to authorities and family.

Kristin Little, 39, was traveling on the Thumb Butte Loop Road around 5 p.m. when her car went off the cliff, and she was ejected halfway down the precipitous drop, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Sheriff’s deputies spotted the car at the bottom of the embankment and hiked down to Little’s body, the sheriff’s office said.

Because of the tough terrain and approaching sunset, authorities waited until the morning to retrieve Little, but members of the department remained with her body throughout the night.


  Kristin Little, 39, was traveling on the Thumb Butte Loop Road around 5 p.m. when her car went off the cliff, and she was ejected halfway down the precipitous drop. Family handout Kristin Little, 39, was traveling on the Thumb Butte Loop Road around 5 p.m. when her car went off the cliff, and she was ejected halfway down the precipitous drop. Family handout

  Sheriff’s deputies spotted the car at the bottom of the embankment and hiked down to Little’s body, the sheriff’s office said. Fox10 Sheriff’s deputies spotted the car at the bottom of the embankment and hiked down to Little’s body, the sheriff’s office said. Fox10

While Little was killed, her beloved dog, CJ, who was with her in the vehicle, somehow escaped the wreck unscathed and was brought to Little’s parents’ home by deputies, according to Fox 10.

“When Krissy rolled her car, CJ must’ve bounced out and when the rescuers got to the location, they found CJ next to Krissy’s body,” her mother, Jinger Cutting, told the station.


  While Little was killed, her beloved dog, CJ, who was with her in the vehicle, somehow escaped the wreck unscathed. Fox10 While Little was killed, her beloved dog, CJ, who was with her in the vehicle, somehow escaped the wreck unscathed. Fox10

  Little’s body was taken to the medical examiner Saturday morning. The investigation into the crash is still underway.  Yavapai County Sheriff's Office Little’s body was taken to the medical examiner Saturday morning. The investigation into the crash is still underway.  Yavapai County Sheriff's Office

The heartbroken parent called her daughter “the light of my life.”

Little was a real estate agent based in Prescott and loved the outdoors.


  The heartbroken parent called her daughter “the light of my life.” Family handout The heartbroken parent called her daughter “the light of my life.” Family handout

  CJ was brought to Little’s parents’ home by deputies after the crash. Fox10 CJ was brought to Little’s parents’ home by deputies after the crash. Fox10

“She and I hiked all the time, all the time,” her mother said. “We would take off, and we would meet at my office or somewhere downtown, and we would just go hiking out on Thumb Butte, or we’d go hiking somewhere around the lakes.”

Little’s body was taken to the medical examiner Saturday morning. The investigation into the crash is still underway. 

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