More than three months after Kaitlin Anne Kenney vanished from a Colorado River float trip in Grand Canyon National Park, her body has been recovered from the river, according to park officials.
The young woman's body was found on March 22, but officials didn't announce that until April 1. She was last seen on the evening of Friday, January 11, at a river camp located near Tapeats Creek (river mile 134.5) on the north side of the Colorado River.
Rangers used the park’s helicopter to search the river corridor and area trails for two days after Ms. Kenney was reported missing. In addition, ground-based search and rescue teams thoroughly searched the accessible trails, beaches, drainages and backcountry areas in the vicinity.
With no additional clues to guide search efforts on land, the search was eventually scaled back to a continuous, but limited mode in which rangers and pilots continued to search for clues when in the area. In addition, flyers with the woman’s picture and description remained posted at popular river trip launch and takeout points.
On Thursday, March 21, a private river trip reported finding a woman’s body in the river at about river mile 165. The next day, the body was transported to the rim by helicopter and transferred to the Coconino County Medical Examiner.
Late last week, the Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that the body was that of 21-year old Ms. Kenney, of Englewood, Colorado.
The National Park Service is continuing its investigation into Kenney’s death in coordination with the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office. No additional information is available at this time.
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