Authorities have confirmed that a body recovered in a remote part of Costa Rica is that of Ashley Phillips, a 30-year-old California woman who disappeared earlier this month.
“With broken hearts, we share the news that Ashley’s body has been found,” her family wrote in an update posted to GoFundMe.
Phillips, who was from Santa Clarita, went missing on June 3 after setting out on a hike near the Nauyaca waterfalls. At the time, a powerful storm brought intense rainfall to the area, triggering flooding and landslides.
Rescue teams and volunteers searched for Phillips for days, though severe weather and dangerous terrain repeatedly forced crews to suspend their efforts.
When a body was discovered and recovered from the water on Wednesday, Phillips had been missing for more than two weeks.
The Costa Rican Red Cross found the body about 600 meters from an area heavily damaged by landslides and flooding, local outlet The Tico Times reported. Officials said there were no signs of life when she was located.
Her identity was confirmed on Thursday.
As Phillips’ family grieves the loss of what they described as “a loving daughter, sister, and friend,” they said they are taking some comfort in knowing she can now be brought home.
“While her family mourns this tragic loss, they find some comfort in knowing she has been found and can now be brought home,” the GoFundMe page read. “Ashley was confident in who God created her to be and lived life with a spirit of adventure.”
Costa Rica authorities have not publicly released the cause of death and an investigation is ongoing, but previous reports claimed Phillips was likely swept away from the storm.
Phillips was staying at HOME Farm (which stands for “Heaven On Mother Earth”) in Costa Rica’s Diamanté Valley, a regenerative sanctuary nestled in the heart of the rainforest resting on 55 acres of lush tropical jungle and sitting atop the Nauyaca waterfalls.
The GoFundMe page has raised more than $20,000 for the family’s celebration of life arrangements.
“She loved traveling, spending time in nature, and caring for animals. We continue to lift her family and friends in prayer during this incredibly difficult time,” the post said.
