A female hiker. Illustration photo by Pexels |
According to ABC News, the body was found on Monday in the area where Nguyen was last known to be hiking.
NBC News San Diego reported that Nguyen’s brother identified the body as hers, although the police are awaiting an autopsy to confirm.
Nguyen set out early Sunday morning on a hike along the Nighthawk Trail in the Black Mountain Open Space Park, located in north San Diego, with about 100 other hikers. This hike coincided with the start of the first heat wave of the summer in San Diego County.
As temperatures rose, half of the group turned back due to the heat. Nguyen, however, decided to continue alone toward the peak of the mountain.
According to Lt. Daniel Meyer of the San Diego Police Department, she contacted her relatives at approximately 10 a.m. on Sunday, indicating she was very hot and in need of water. This was the last communication anyone had with her.
As per information provided by her family, Nguyen was employed by the U.S. Navy and was a divorced mother of three.