Woman still missing after falling into Carbon River in SE Pierce County, deputy says
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with new information. The woman who went missing about noon Sunday in the area of the Fairfax Bridge and Carbon River in southeast Pierce County was with a girlfriend.
A woman and dog fell into the Carbon River in southeast Pierce County before noon Sunday, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.
The dog has since been spotted and appears to be alive after floating about two miles downstream, Deputy Carly Cappetto said. The woman, 28, is still missing, she said.
About 11:45 a.m., the woman, dog and her girlfriend were hiking in the area of the river and the Fairfax Bridge, which is south of the town of Carbonado.
It’s not immediately clear how they fell into the river, said Cappetto, adding that the dog may have slipped into the water and then the woman did, too, trying to retrieve the dog. They did not fall off the bridge, but were thought to be underneath it.
There is no cell phone service in the area, so the girlfriend had to hike about 15 minutes before she could call 911 about noon Sunday, she said.
It is not a safe situation, Deputy Cappetto said, pointing out that the river this time of year will be running high and fast with fresh snow melt and debris.
In addition to the sheriff’s department, area fire crews and the Coast Guard are on scene. Bystanders and bicyclists have also joined the search, she said.
Drones are being used to spot the woman, she said. There also are teams of people with ropes and others on the ground searching for the missing woman, Cappetto said.
The river is in the area of state Route 165. Search and rescue teams expect to be in the area for some time, she said.
This story was originally published March 23, 2025 at 4:09 PM.
