Body of paraplegic woman found in Algona marsh

The body of a 50-year-old missing paraplegic woman — who left her care facility in Pacific Tuesday afternoon and didn’t return — has been found, along with her motorized wheelchair, in a marsh at Algona Boulevard North and Boundary Boulevard.

Algona Police said they are reviewing surveillance camera footage that shows the woman near the marsh. The official cause of death will come from the King County Medical Examiner, however, they said they do not believe foul play was involved and, instead, are calling the incident a tragic accident.

“She checked herself out of a facility in the City of Pacific … and went to a coffee shop at the Super Mall, a Starbucks,” Algona Police Chief James Schrimpsher said. “On her way back between 3 p.m. and maybe 4:30 p.m. she was headed back.”

Hours before Algona woman went missing

Police said the last contact she had with anyone was around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday when she texted someone. When she didn’t return to her care facility, police said staff reported her missing around 9 p.m. Her body was discovered early Wednesday morning.

“Somehow her wheelchair and she ended up in the marsh and yesterday, as part of our investigation, we recovered the body as well as the wheelchair,” Schrimpsher said.

The woman’s name was not released pending notification of next of kin. Police said several family members of the victim showed up at the scene where her body was discovered. Schrimpsher described the moment as heartbreaking and added, “Our hearts and prayers go out to the family… it is terribly unfortunate.”

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