Body found in search for hiker who vanished after trekking ahead of group, CA cops say
UPDATE: Officials said they have found a body believed to be that of a 50-year-old woman who went missing after separating from her hiking group, according to local news reports.
The body, believed to be Diem Le Nguyen, was found the morning of Monday, June 24, a day after she went missing at Nighthawk Trail at Black Mountain, police said, NBC7 News reported.
“At this point, it’s obviously a very painful moment for the family and friends,” Lt. Daniel Meyer said at news conference, the outlet reported. “It’s really important for the community to come together and support this family as they go through this traumatic time.”
Though the body matches Nguyen’s description, Meyer said the coroner’s office will confirm the identity, as well as a cause of death, KGTV reported.
The original story is below.
A 50-year-old woman is missing after separating from her hiking group amid a Southern California heat wave, police say.
Diem Le Nguyen trekked ahead of her hiking group on Nighthawk Trail at Black Mountain at about 8 a.m. Sunday, June 23, where the National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning, the San Diego Police Department said in a Facebook post.
She was participating in a 5K fundraiser with Build a School Foundation, according to NBC7 News.
Build a School Foundation did not immediately return McClatchy News’ request for comment on June 24.
About an hour and a half after parting from her group, Nguyen contacted them to say she made it to the end of the trail, police said.
However, she has not been seen or heard from since, according to police.
“With the heat advisory this weekend, it’s extremely hot, dehydration is very much a big factor for this,” Officer Darius Jamsetjee told FOX5 News. “There’s not a lot of shade on that trail, it’s just low-lying brush, so the heat will get to you very quickly, plus the elevation gain of a couple hundred feet from here.”
William Do, a family member, told NBC7 News, he was “worried, because we really need her.”
Nguyen, who was “wearing a black shirt with a pink heart on the front, black pants, brown hat, and sunglasses,” stands 5 feet, 1 inches tall and weighs 105 pounds, according to police.
Anyone who sees Nguyen or has information about where she may be is asked to “call 911 and reference Case Number 24-50182,” police said.
Nighthawk Trail is a “moderately challenging route” that stretches nearly 4 miles near Poway, according to the hiking website AllTrails.
This story was originally published June 24, 2024 at 12:21 PM with the headline "Body found in search for hiker who vanished after trekking ahead of group, CA cops say."
