CALAVERAS COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: The traveling nurse who disappeared while hiking in California last month has been found dead, authorities have said. According to a news release from the Calaveras County Sheriff's Office, the body of Ann Marie Herford was located on Thursday, November 30, while crews were searching “an extremely steep and dense section of the search area located north of San Antonio Creek."
The 66-year-old Michigan woman was reported missing on November 14 after she failed to turn up for work, KCRA reports.
Where was Ann Marie Herford's body found?
Herford’s body was found “on a 35-degree sloped hillside beneath heavy tree canopy and dense foliage” in the search area at around 9 am local time on Thursday, November 30, the CCSO said. California Highway Patrol brought in an aircraft to help extract the woman’s body from the difficult terrain. An investigation into Herford’s death is ongoing. The CCSO said her death does not appear to be suspicious.
Ann Marie Herford had expressed interest in hiking during breakfast with a friend
Herford had expressed interest in hiking the Arnold Rim Trail during breakfast with a friend on November 11, the CCSO previously said. She was reportedly last seen the next day. Family members said Herford “lacked wilderness survival skills,” according to the sheriff’s office.
The woman’s car was found parked at the trailhead three days later after she was last seen, NBC affiliate KCRA-TV previously reported. "It's not typical that someone will be staying the night out here," Sgt Chad Poortingha told KCRA at the time, adding "Come nightfall and if there are still cars out here and if they are not staying the night, that's a cause for concern."
Ann Marie Herford's colleague was in touch with her family
Herford's colleague Anna Wettengel said previously that she was keeping contact with Herford's family in Michigan and added that everyone was anxious for any kind of update. She said they called her cell phone and it went straight to voicemail.
"Our hearts went into our gut and we were starting to get really scared," Wettengel told KOVR about first learning of Herford’s disappearance, adding "I mean, knowing that she's not from here, she's visiting, we didn't know that she didn't know the area."
She continued, “We're trying to still remain positive and we're just praying and hoping that she is okay and safe, and then she'll be able to come home.”
According to The Union Democrat, Crews recently scaled back their search for Herford after spending two weeks searching for the missing woman. But search efforts still continued both in the air and on the ground until Herford’s body was found by CCSO deputies and members of the Calaveras County Volunteer Search and Rescue Team, according to the sheriff’s office.
“The Calaveras Sheriff’s Office wishes to express its heartfelt gratitude to all the teams involved in the search operation,” they said in the release.
