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In Washington State, officials have verified that hikers recently came across the skeletal remains of a 33-year-old woman who went missing almost 18 months ago in Rose Valley.
Last Sunday, two young hikers stumbled upon skeletal remains and some clothing in a forested section of Rose Valley. They promptly contacted the authorities, as reported by the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office.
An image of the discovered bones was forwarded to a forensic anthropologist, who confirmed that they were indeed human remains.
The next day, the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office teamed up with the sheriff’s department and several search and rescue units to carry out a thorough search of the vicinity in hopes of finding more remains.
Hailey Athay vanished in November 2024, according to her family. (Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office)
One of the men who had found the bones led the search party to the area, and nearly complete skeletal remains were found as well as multiple items of clothing and personal belongings, according to the sheriff’s office.
The location was in the middle of an area that a detective had identified through investigation and interviews as an area of interest in the disappearance of Hailey E. Athay, 33, of Cowlitz County, who was last seen by her family in Kelso, Washington, in November 2024.
She was reported missing in January 2025, according to the sheriff’s office.
A friend of Athay said she was going mushroom picking with a man before her disappearance, local affiliate FOX 13 Seattle reported.
Prior searches had been conducted near the area, but the sheriff’s office said no evidence had been recovered.
On Tuesday, a forensic odontologist examined the recovered skull and compared the teeth to dental records for Athay, confirming a match.
The sheriff’s office previously searched a nearby area after Athay’s disappearance. (Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office)
Officials said Athay’s cause and manner of death remain under investigation pending an analysis by a forensic anthropologist.
It is unclear if any suspects have been identified in Athay’s disappearance or if foul play is suspected.
Athay’s mother, Nicole Brooks, told local outlet KPTV Athay was a mother of three daughters.