Jake Parker San Diego Obituary : Jacob Parker Death : UC Santa Barbara Graduate Died After Accidentally Falling From Isla Vista Cliff - GoFundMe

A juvenile fell from a cliff near Isla Vista on Saturday afternoon; his identity has been released by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. Jacob William Aladar Parker also known to many as Jake Parker, 23, of San Diego, was pronounced dead at the hospital on Saturday, according to spokeswoman Raquel Zick. Click here to donate: GoFundMe

During an alumni party, he apparently climbed over a balcony barrier and then fell behind 6625 Del Playa. According to the students, the Meridian Group is the one who runs the building. The group's voicemail had been filled.

The GoFundMe page referred to "Jake Parker" as follows: "He changed lives in his own way, as a loving son, caring sibling, loyal friend and proud UCSB graduate, sharp entrepreneur, avid Bay Area sports fan, model of health and prolific lover of music, so much so that he started to successfully running live music events."

During the All Gaucho Reunion 2024, Parker traveled all the way from San Diego to be there. The fourteenth person to die in a cliff fall since the mid-1990s is Parker. Beth Krom, a former mayor of Irvine and the mother of the late Noah, who died just one week before his 2009 graduation, thinks there may be more unrecognized deaths due to cliff falls.

We tragically lost our son Noah over fifteen years ago when he fell from the Isla Vista cliffs. "Regrettably, at least seven more have now passed away since Noah died," Krom added, "and we would learn that at least six young people had died before Noah died."

She noted that it raises the issue; "How many young lives are going to be sacrificed because property owners are unwilling to make their properties safe, we know that there are properties and balconies that are literally collapsing into the ocean, that the living conditions that the students are living in are dangerous," Krom pointed out. A lot of alumni have met their untimely ends, not just Parker.

On April 29, 2022, while attending a UCSB alumni weekend party, 26-year-old Santa Monica resident Chasen Alibrando tragically fell to his death on the 6600 block of Del Playa in Isla Vista. Seven months have passed since the last tragic fall; on Labor Day weekend, 19-year-old Benny Schurmer, an actor and student at Santa Barbara City College, passed away.

The news of the most recent death reached his mother over the weekend. What number of casualties must occur before property owners finally act to ensure the safety of their land? Kathryn Schurmer voiced her opinion, saying, "Enough is enough!" It has happened again, and I am utterly sad and devastated. His loved ones have my deepest sympathies.

Private landowners should do more, say the mothers and Santa Barbara County Supervisor Laura Capps. "We already have a hard enough time as tenants just trying to get them to repair a clogged drain to get the fence replaced is gong to be no small miracle." remarked Chris Clark, a UCSB student.

According to students at the apartment complex on the cliff where the fall happened, the Meridian Group was in charge of it. A recording from the Meridian Group stated that the inbox was full, and the company could not be contacted for comment. In a statement made by Laila Shahidi, a student at UCSB, she expressed her concern about the possibility of having to leave during storms due to the collapse of her neighbor's house into the ocean.

Santa Barbara County Supervisor Laura Capps has advocated for the park's elevated fencing and restrooms since her father, Schurmer, passed away on September 2. On Sunday morning, she paid a visit to the site and offered her thoughts on the fourteen documented cases of fatal falls since the mid-1990s.

"Another tragic death on the Isla Vista bluffs, number 14," he added, "14 lives cut short, in my view no one should be living here in these unsafe conditions much less party here and having a good time." She filmed from a private fence.

Obviously, the height of this barrier is inadequate. I feel terrible for the family of the young man who died and for the first responders who did everything in their power to try to save him. We have already done all in our power to encourage property owners to raise the height to six feet, but there is still a lot more we can do in this race against the clock. 

Capps emphasized the importance of continuing to prioritize common sense practices.

According to Clark, his mother becomes anxious whenever there is news of a fall. Victims' families pray that their loved ones' names will serve as a constant reminder to stay safe.

Here is the memorial list: 1994 Brian Scott Miller, Andrew Litvinchuk (1997), Clint McDonnell (2001), Timothy Baptista (2003), Robert Caraval (2005), Tyler VonRuden (2009), Noah Krom (2012), David Propp (2012), Gielle Ayala (2013), Sierra Markee-Winkler (2014), Alessandro Esquivel (2018), 2222 Chastity Alibrando, year 2023 2024—Benjamin Schurmer.