Father, daughter found dead after days-long search in Maine national park
The body of a 28-year-old New York woman was found in a wooded area in a Maine state park on Wednesday, a day after her father's body was found near the summit of Mount Katahdin.
The pair were the subject of intense searches over multiple days this week, after disappearing on Sunday as they hiked up to the summit of Katahdin. Esther Keiderling, 28, was found dead around 1 p.m. on Wednesday in a wooded area, Baxter State Park officials wrote in a social media post. Her father, Tim, 58, was found dead a day prior, around 2:45 p.m., near the summit.
Both Keiderlings, of Ulster Park, New York, left Abol Campground on Sunday to hike to the summit. They were last seen at around 10:15 a.m.
A search for the pair began Monday morning after finding their vehicle still in the day-use parking lot. Park rangers searched several trails, including the Katahdin Tablelands, and found no sign of the father and daughter.
The search expanded Tuesday with more than 30 game wardens looking for the pair. The Maine Forest Service and Army National Guard used helicopters to aid in the search. Tim Keiderling was found dead on Tuesday by a game warden and his K-9.
Game wardens, park rangers and K-9 teams resumed the search for Esther Keiderling Wednesday.
'We understand that many of our social media followers share in our profound sadness for the family and friends of Tim and Esther Keiderling,' officials wrote in the Facebook post. 'We appreciate your support for their loved ones and the members of the search teams during this incredibly difficult time. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Tim and Esther Keiderling's family and friends.'
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