PROVO, Utah — On the second day of a wide search, a missing hiker was found dead by teams early Wednesday in American Fork Canyon.
Nineteen-year-old McKenna Miner was reported missing Tuesday morning, two days after she went to hike the area near Tibble Fork Reservoir. Following an all-day search Tuesday, a member of the search and rescue team located a pair of snowshoes before finding Miner's body at approximately 10 a.m.
Although the body found has not been fully identified, during a briefing Wednesday, a Utah County Search and Rescue official said it's believed the body is Miner's and that her death will be classified as a suicide.
According to Sgt. Dallin Turner, a horse posse involved in the search located a trail about a mile-and-a-half up the main road near the reservoir and pursued the tracks before eventually discovering the snowshoes by some trees.
The snowshoes were in their packaging when they were found.
"There were signs that this was somebody who was struggling with mental health issues," said Turner.
After Miner was located, Turner said detectives would head to the area to process the scene before the body would be hoisted out of the area and turned over to the office of the medical examiner.
Officials notified Miner's family of the discovery and said they were struggling with the news.
"It's a difficult time for them," Turner said with tears in his eyes. "That's the worst part of the job to come down and tell somebody we've located someone...and they're deceased."
As the death will likely be deemed a suicide, Turner emotionally shared a message during the briefing.
"If you're struggling with that suicide, if you're struggling with anything of that nature, there's hope," he said.
The Provo Police Department was first notified about Miner at around 6 a.m. Tuesday after friends and roommates became concerned about her disappearance.
"We don't know exactly McKenna's level of preparedness, what kind of equipment she had with her," said Sgt. Spencer Cannon with the Utah County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday.
When Miner's family went to search the area, they found her car but not her. A sheriff's office deputy also spotted the car on Sunday and Monday.
Miner was experienced in the outdoors, having spent some time working at Timpanogos Cave National Monument.
According to the Huntsman Mental Health Institute, there is a concerning trend among young adults right now.
"It's very common when we talk to folks in this age group that they report feeling like they're not good enough or have a hard time separating that social media can be a highlight reel of someone's life and not the full picture of what's going on," said Rachel Lucynski, director of community crisis intervention and support services.
She said young women have higher rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts, while young men have a higher rate of suicide in general.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the National Crisis and Intervention Lifeline at 988.
Through that number, operators connected to the Utah Crisis Line are available 24/7 and the call is free and confidential.
The SafeUT app is another resource for K-12 and higher education students where friends, educators, parents, and students can submit tips.
