Human Remains Identified as Missing Cowlitz County Woman Hailey Athay After 2024 Disappearance
Human remains discovered in rural Cowlitz County, Washington over the weekend have been identified as 33-year-old Hailey Athay, a woman who had been missing since November 2024, authorities confirmed.
According to the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office, two hikers found clothing and bones on Weyerhaeuser property near Rose Valley Road and the 1600 line on Sunday. Officials quickly responded to the scene, where the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office confirmed the remains were human.
A coordinated search involving law enforcement and search and rescue teams was launched the following day. By Monday evening, additional remains, clothing, and personal belongings were recovered from the area.
On Tuesday, the coroner’s office used dental records to positively identify the remains as Hailey Athay, who was last seen in the Kelso area around Thanksgiving 2024. Her cause and manner of death remain under investigation.
Authorities noted that the location where Athay was found had been searched earlier in the investigation but yielded no results at the time. Officials have not indicated any foul play as the case remains open.
Family members had searched for Athay since her disappearance, describing her as someone who sometimes traveled and struggled with addiction but maintained contact with loved ones. She was last known to be in the Rose Valley area shortly before she went missing.
The Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office thanked the individuals who discovered the remains and reported them to authorities, as well as all search and rescue personnel involved in the recovery effort.
The investigation into Athay’s death is ongoing.