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Search becomes recovery effort for missing daughter of ‘Piano Guys’

Posted at 5:27 PM, Oct 23, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-24 10:19:58-04

OREGON -- Nearly a week after Annie Schmidt went missing while hiking in Oregon, her mother says she doesn't think her daughter is alive and authorities say the search will be suspended.

KOIN 6 in Oregon reports that more than 150 volunteers joined in the search for Schmidt Saturday near the Bonneville Dam in the Columbia River Gorge.

Schmidt, a 21-year-old who recently moved to Portland from Utah, is the daughter of Jon Schmidt, who is a member of the popular Utah music and video group "The Piano Guys."

Michelle Schmidt, Annie's mother, told KOIN 6 they believe their daughter is dead.

“I don’t think she’s still alive," Schmidt told KOIN 6. "I don’t think she’s survived. Honestly, that brings me comfort knowing she is with her Heavenly Father, that she’s not hurting, that she’s not suffering. But we do want to find her body.”

According to a press release issued Sunday night, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office stated more than 150 miles of trail system have been searched during the last three days with the assistance of K9 and air units.

The release states,  "no signs of Anna Schmidt have been found." The search has been suspended, with police saying search efforts will resume should they develop new credible leads.

Family told Fox 13 News earlier in the week that Annie is adventurous and often recreates in the outdoors. Michelle Schmidt said she realized her daughter was missing earlier this week when she arrived in Portland for a camping trip and her daughter wasn't at the airport to pick her up.

“I just got a rental car and went to her apartment, and when I showed up her roommate was really alarmed because she said, 'I thought you guys were gone. I thought you were already camping, she's been gone since Sunday,'” Michelle Schmidt said.

KOIN 6 reports that authorities in Oregon had no significant leads as of Saturday, but foul play is not suspected.Visit KOIN 6 for more on the search efforts in Oregon.