Woman’s Body Found in Skookumchuck River in Centralia

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No Foul Play: Police Declined to Speculate on Manner of Death, Pending an Autopsy, But Foul Play Not Suspected

By Stephanie Schendel

sschendel@chronline.com

Two teens floating down the Skookumchuck River in inner tubes found a woman’s body in north Centralia Monday evening.

Detective Sgt. Pat Fitzgerald of the Centralia Police Department declined Monday night to speculate on the cause of the woman’s death, but he said there were no signs of foul play.

The woman, who police say lived in the Centralia area, is believed to be in her 30s, Fitzgerald said. Her name was not released Monday as a next of kin had not been notified.

The teens found the body in the river about 100 yards from Reynolds Avenue and North Tower Avenue.

The woman appeared to have died near the river bank where her camp chair and a few bottles of water were located, Fitzgerald said.

Her car, which was parked on the east side of the river on B Street, was impounded by police.

Fitzgerald said the woman is known to local police.



Authorities removed her body shortly before 10 p.m. Monday.

He said police believe the same woman called police two days prior, on Saturday, from the same area near the Skookumchuck River in north Centralia, and said she was lost. 

Several officers and local firefighters responded to the area to search for her on Saturday.

While the woman was initially on the phone and in communication with the responding officers, the call was disconnected and police were unable to reach her again, he said.

Rescue crews searched the area for several hours Saturday and were unable to find her, Fitzgerald said. Firefighters from Riverside Fire Authority used a thermal imaging camera, which detects body heat, in an unsuccessful attempt to locate the woman. 

After about three hours, police contacted her friends, who said that they saw her after she had called police and that she was fine, Fitzgerald said.

Fitzgerald said the woman does not appear to have been in the water since Saturday night.

He declined to comment on whether police believe the woman was under the influence of drugs or alcohol when she called to say she was lost.

An autopsy has been scheduled.