ok so they're looking for a new female character... i don't know how to take that (i've not read into it so i'm just speculating here) - i wouldn't be surprised, even if Sara does survive that her character doesn't take a break, I mean after an ordeal like that wouldn't you want to get away from it all for a while? i think it would be a wrong move to replace Sara, and especially with a young female - talk about rubbing salt in the wound! I guess it depends on what spoilers you want to believe... the few out seem so contradictory at the moment, i mean going from "ending the GSR arc in a clever way" to "killing off and replacing Sara" - those are different ends of the spectrum! Killing Sara isn't ending the GSR arc in a clever way!! i doubt they'd let out something massive like this easily, which is why I am not sure if i believe it or not. I still find it a bit odd that if they are indeed intending on replacing Sara (alive or dead), that they've left it until now to start looking for a replacement? - but i do like your train of thought of assume the worst and you can only be pleasantly surprised come september! but i still think she'll live - but that's just IMHO
edit to add: just thought I'd say, if the decision to get rid of Sara (either dead or alive) is through Jorja's own decision not to continue then i think i'll find that easier to accept than TPTB just deciding to kill her off, coz I really don't think they would gain anything by losing or replacing Sara, and the speculation over if Billy will be in most of s8 - WTF?! CSI without Grissom is like 'everybody loves Raymond' without Raymond! could they really continue with 2 of the lead character not in it anymore?? how much of their fanbase would they lose by losing these characters? (be it perminantly or temporaily)