Jennifer Coleman.Photo: Jennifer Coleman
A 34-year-old woman has been found dead less than a week after she went missing on a hike in a Montana, according to authorities.
The National Park Serviceconfirmed in a press releasethat the body of Jennifer Coleman was discovered in Glacier National Park on Sunday, just four days after she was reported missing.
Park officials said Coleman, a resident of Richmond, Virginia, was found deceased “in a steep and rocky area near the Continental Divide” of the Montana park.
At this time, her cause of death remains unknown, and an investigation is underway, according to the National Park Service.
Coleman was first reported missing on Wednesday, with authorities noting that she was “believed to have been hiking around Logan Pass” on August 30 or August 31, thepark service wrote in a tweet.
The search continued through Sunday, with as many as 50 people involved, but it was sadly too late and Coleman’s body was located that afternoon, park officials stated.
Park officials said rescuers would extract Coleman’s body when weather conditions permit but noted that air operations had to be halted on Sunday due to high winds in the area.
“Glacier National Park would like to thank the public’s response to the tip line,” the press release stated. “Although the end result was not the one searchers hoped for, public tips were key to a faster resolution of the search.”
RELATED VIDEO: Hiker Falls from Ledge and Dies One Day After Posting Dramatic Cliffside Instagram Photo
In a follow-up post, the foundationreleased a statementon behalf of Coleman’s father, Hal, who serves as the treasurer of the AWARE Foundation.
“Many thanks to everyone for the kind words, prayers, messages,” Hal said, per the post. “People have been a blessing to us. We are thankful and appreciative to the bottom of our hearts. No words to describe the grief.”
Friend Victoria Pacittoadded in a separate post: “Thank you for your prayers. With deep regret, our dear friend Jennifer Coleman has been found and is no longer with us. My heart goes out to her family and friends. Until I see you again.”
source: people.com
