A 19-year-old who was reported missing in southern Utah was found dead at Red Cliffs Recreation Area earlier this week, and authorities say early evidence suggests the death was accidental.
The Washington County (Utah) Sheriff’s Office confirmed the death of Nicole Bennett, 19, in a news release issued Wednesday, Jan. 14.
Officials said dispatchers received a call the night before, around 11:55 p.m. local time, reporting Bennett missing. Around the same time, deputies were alerted that her vehicle had been located at the Red Cliffs Recreation Area trailhead in Washington County.
Just after 7 a.m. on Jan. 24 — when search efforts resumed after a brief pause due to local conditions — the dispatch center received another call reporting that Bennett’s body had been found, according to the sheriff’s office.
In an interview with ABC affiliate KTVX, Washington County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Jacob Paul said a family member made the discovery.
“The Washington County Sheriff’s Office expresses our condolences to the family of Nicole Bennett for their loss,” the agency said in its statement.
While the investigation remains ongoing, preliminary findings indicate Bennett may have accidentally fallen while hiking in a steep section of the Red Reef Trail, CBS affiliate KUTV reported.
“Unfortunately, this area is treacherous, and it can be dangerous at times,” Paul told KTVX in a separate interview.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management notes on its website that the trail extends 5.7 miles one way, describing the first 0.6 miles as moderate before it becomes strenuous.
In its statement, the sheriff’s office said deputies and investigators were still working at the scene and asked the public to avoid the area.
According to KTVX, Bennett was preparing to serve a mission in Italy as part of her service for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“It’s one of the harder situations that we have to deal with, and we wish that we didn’t have to deal with situations like that,” Paul told KUTV. “I can’t imagine what the family’s going through right now.”
