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Woman’s Body Possibly Found In Grand Canyon 4 Months After She Went Missing, Follows Death At Canyon Of Florida Woman

By Jessica Dafoe
Published on: 13:33 PST, Aug 4, 2016

On Saturday, the remains of what is believed to be those of a 22-year-old woman from Louisiana were found in the Grand Canyon, nearly four months after the woman had been reported missing.

Although the final positive ID for the identity of the body has yet to be made, rangers who were in the middle of training believe that they found the body of Diana Zacarias under Pima Point. The spokeswoman for the case says that the medical examiner will soon make the “final positive ID” of the remains.

It was on April 3 that Diana was first reported missing and the National Park Services attempted to find her, but were unsuccessful.

Officials for the park stated that Zacarias had arrived on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on April 2 and shared that they believe she visited Yaki Point as well as Lookout Studio. Additional details of the 22-year-old’s death are not available, according to reports from multiple sources.

A post was added to Facebook by officials of the Louisiana School for Math, Science and Art, where Diana was a former student, as a means to remember and honor her following this tragedy. People shares the words of the post.

“Our deepest condolences are with the Zacarias family,” the post read. “Diana was one of three siblings who attended LSMSA. May the family find peace and comfort in this difficult time.”

NPS and the Coconino County medical examiner are investigating the death and disappearance of Zacarias. As a spokesperson states, the Grand Canyon is known to see up to 15 deaths each year, mainly due to heat exhaustion or other medical issues while facing the elements and terrain.

The discovery of the remains that are believed to be Diana’s follow the death of a 35-year-old woman named Colleen Burns at the Grand Canyon, just under a month ago. Burns is said to have fallen 400 feet off the Grand Canyon’s Ooh Aah Point.

Burns had posted a photo to Instagram mere hours before her death, of herself sitting on the Canyon’s edge. People shares the details of this tragic tale.

“A Florida woman fell about 400 feet to her death last week at the Grand Canyon hours after posting a photo on the edge of a cliff at the iconic national park Colleen Burns, 35, of Orlando, was hiking with friends near the South Kaibab Trail on Friday when she accidentally slipped off an edge at Ooh Aah Point, Grand Canyon National Park official tells, Park rangers located her body about 400 feet below where she was standing. “

Medical examiners ruled Burns’ death an accident, as did the individuals who were witnesses to the tragedy. A friend who had joined Colleen on the trail, named Jessica Roman, shares how one misstep caused the young woman to lose her life.

“She was just, like, stepping out of the way for another gentleman to, kind of, squeeze in. Unfortunately, Colleen just kind of got tripped up on her own feet and fell backwards. She fell into the canyon. That was the longest, strangest, craziest two seconds of my life. Those last two seconds where everyone changed are so minute in comparison to all the memories I have with her.”

Many mourn the loss of Burns due to this tragedy. Colleen worked as a regional marketing manager for Yelp, and was known for her contagious smile and energy. She will clearly be missed by many, including co-workers who posted to Twitter about the accident.

“Colleen Burns, 1st @Yelp Orlando Community Manager, has passed away. There are no words. Hoping to find some soon.”

Details of the death of the woman believed to be Zacarias will be relayed when discovered by the medical examiner.

[Photo by David McNew/Getty Images]

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