Skeletal remains found in woods confirmed as missing Washington state woman
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Washington state authorities confirmed that hikers recently found the skeletal remains of a missing 33-year-old woman in Rose Valley who disappeared about a year and a half ago.
Two young men hiking in a wooded area Sunday discovered skeletal remains and clothing in Rose Valley and notified authorities, according to the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office.
A photo of the bones was sent to a forensic anthropologist, who identified them as human.
The next day, the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office coordinated with the sheriff’s office and multiple search and rescue teams to conduct an organized search of the area for additional remains.
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According to her family, Hailey Athay disappeared in November 2024. (Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office)
According to the sheriff’s office, one of the men who found the bones led a search party to the area, where nearly all of the skeletal remains were found, as well as numerous items of clothing and personal items.
The location was in the middle of an area that a detective identified as an area of interest through investigation and interviews in the disappearance of Hailey E. Athay, 33, of Cowlitz County, who was last seen by her family in Kelso, Washington, in November 2024.
He was reported missing in January 2025, according to the sheriff’s office.
A friend of Athay’s told local affiliate FOX 13 Seattle that she went mushroom hunting with a man before she disappeared. reported.
Previous searches had been conducted near the area, but the sheriff’s office said no evidence was found.
On Tuesday, a forensic dentist examined the recovered skull and compared the teeth to Athay’s dental records, confirming a match.
The sheriff’s office had previously searched a nearby area following Athay’s disappearance. (Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office)
Athay’s cause and manner of death remain under investigation until analyzed by a forensic anthropologist, authorities said.
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It is unclear whether any suspects have been identified in Athay’s disappearance or whether foul play is suspected.
Athay’s mother, Nicole Brooks, told local media: KPTV Athay was the mother of three daughters.
