Missing paraplegic woman found dead in marsh after going shopping, Washington cops say
A 50-year-old paraplegic woman was found dead in a marsh a day after she vanished following a shopping trip, police said.
Her body was discovered March 26 at about 7:20 a.m., the Algona Police Department said in a news release.
She signed herself out of her care facility in Pacific at about noon the previous day, Police Chief James Schrimpsher told McClatchy News by phone March 28.
While in Algona, she went to a shopping mall, got a coffee and made some other purchases, Schrimpsher said.
Then she decided to ride her motorized wheelchair back to the facility instead of taking the bus because of the nice weather, he said.
Algona is about a 1-mile drive north of Pacific.
She texted the facility at about 3 p.m., saying she was on her way back, but never returned, Schrimpsher said. The facility reported her missing at 9 p.m.
Schrimpsher said at least two people stopped her and asked if she needed help, but she told them she was “enjoying the day.”
An autopsy determined she died from drowning, Schrimpsher said.
The investigation has not been completed, but Schrimpsher said “it does not appear there are any signs of foul play; it was just an unfortunate accident.”
Algona is about a 15-mile drive northeast from Tacoma.
