Bay Area teen dies in hiking accident, just days before start of school

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - A community is mourning the death of a 17-year-old boy who died while hiking in Marin County last week. 

Aaron Baten Gramajo was set to begin his senior year at San Rafael High School when he died on Aug. 11 in the Marin Headlands.

The teen was being remembered for his kindness, warm smile, and as someone who worked hard with a positive energy, making the space around him better. 

Mother called him ‘a great son’

Cela Gramajo, Baten's mother, told KTVU her son was hiking along on Monday evening, as he usually does, and never came home. 

When she called him and didn't hear back, she said she reported him missing after finding his car in the Marin Headlands late Monday night. 

A law enforcement search ensued with multiple agencies, and he was found Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the bottom of the cliffs near the Golden Gate Bridge, Gramajo told KTVU.

In a GoFundMe set up to help Baten's family, organizers of the fundraiser said that he died doing something he really loved, hiking. 

What we don't know:

It’s unclear what type of accident led to the teen’s death. 

In an email correspondence, a spokesperson with the National Park Service said its officers responded to the area around 3 a.m. on Tuesday, after the teen's family members reported him missing. 

"The juvenile's car was located on Conzelman Road," NPS spokesperson Julian Espinoza explained. 

Boats and a drone were used as part of the search.

"Hours later the person was located deceased in the water near Kirby Cove," Espinoza said, adding, "US Park Rangers are investigating the incident with support from US Park Police."

The Marin County Sheriff’s Office Coroner Division said it does not release names of minors who have died, but acknowledged it was handling a case of a 17-year-old who had died last week, saying it happened at the waters below Batter Spencer, a well-known viewpoint in the Headlands. 

"The subject underwent a full forensic autopsy examination on 08/13/2025, and his death was determined to have been caused by Blunt Force Injury," Chief Deputy Roger Fielding said in an email to KTVU. "As of this writing, no untoward and / or suspicious circumstances were noted, and the death was determined to be accidental," he noted. 

San Rafael High School student 

In a letter sent to the San Rafael High School community last week, Principal Joe Dominguez shared the news, saying the teen grew up in San Rafael, attending the city's Laurel Dell Elementary and Davidson Middle School, and that "his loss deeply affects so many."

Teen's employers pay tribute 

Baten also worked at Boichik Bagels in Larkspur. The bagel shop shared its sadness over the teen’s death. On social media, the business said he was a beloved member of the team for two years. 

Currently, a small memorial sits on the counter, allowing members of the community to leave notes of encouragement in a jar for the family. 

The store manager and his friend, Abraham Martinez, said he was genuine, kind, and reliable. 

"He always had a smile on his face, always willing to help. If I needed something done in the shop, he was the guy I would go to," he said.

The shop’s manager also added, "Aaron was a great person and encapsulated the essence of what it is to be a mensch. Always had a smile and always ready to help out. Shop wouldn’t be what it is today without him," the manager said, thanking the teen for his contributions.  

Baten's previous employer, popular Larkspur ice cream shop The Shack, also paid tribute to the teen, saying he worked hard and was adored by those he worked with and served.  

"For anyone that had the joy of coming into the shack when Aaron was working, we know you left feeling good with a big smile! Aaron made the shack a better place! 

Meggie Sichi, the parlor's owner, shared this memory with KTVU, "My daughter saw him as he was closing the store, grabbing his two sisters hands and skipping down the street, and I’ll just cherish that."

"He was a great influence on my children," Sichi added.

An employee who used to work with Baten shared about the first shift she ever had with him and recalled how the co-worker showed up offering her a strawberry lemonade to start the workday. 

"I really liked Aaron," Hayden Martay, 16, told KTVU. "He was very kind and big-hearted." 

Baten's death came near the end of summer break. San Rafael’s principal acknowledged the loss would bring deep grief and shock to the school community, as he noted, "It is heartbreaking to share this news over email instead of gathering together to process it as a school community."

Dominguez offered tips to parents to help their children process the tragedy, saying they should encourage their kids to discuss the feelings they were experiencing and to seek additional support if needed.

SEE ALSO: 16-year-old girl killed in Walnut Creek crash

The school also offered its Wellness Center and counseling team as resources. 

The first day of the new school year begins on Wednesday.

Baten leaves behind his parents, two sisters and a community that was touched by his kindness, the GoFundMe’s organizers noted, calling him "a bright soul gone too soon." 

"At just 17," they shared, "Aaron touched countless hearts with his kindness, laughter, and dreams for the future."

Gramajo said the funeral will be held in the family's country of origin, Guatemala, but a wake will be held locally on Friday.

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