On the fifth anniversary of the discovery of a Mystery Death in the Arizona Wilderness, authorities renew pleas for help identifying the victim. ‘Five years ago, a woman’s skeleton was found on a steep, rocky mountainside in a pocket of
wilderness so remote that only a dozen hikers visit it each year. The woman had been nine
months pregnant, ready to give birth. Authorities say she was certainly in no shape to handle
the exertion of what would have been a strenuous hike for even an athletic person.

… The remains were several hundred yards from the nearest trail, which itself is only
accessible by four-wheel vehicle. The terrain is rugged, made up of red rock and juniper
trees. A rescue team had to fly in by helicopter

…. “We suspect that she went hiking with her boyfriend or husband, probably the father of the
child, and he ducked out on her and left her there,” Diffendaffer said. “She didn’t have any
idea how to get out on her own and ended up getting lost, probably dying of exposure.” ‘