LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — A coroner has released the cause of death for a missing 20-year-old Colorado woman who was found dead in a car crash in a canal on Dec. 4.
Kaylee Juanita Russell's manner of death was ruled accidental and her cause of death was the combined effects of blunt force injuries and cold exposure, the Larimer County Coroner's Office reported on Monday. A verified GoFundMe has been created to support her mother.
The search for the woman caught nationwide attention last week.
Her body was found inside her vehicle, which had crashed into a canal along Larimer County Road 1 in Timnath, the coroner confirmed.
Russell, who lived in Evans, was pronounced deceased at the scene, the coroner's office said. Officials believe she died on Nov. 30, which was the day she was reported missing.
The autopsy was completed on Dec. 5.
The coroner's office said it would not release any other details.
This case began on Sunday, Nov. 30, when Russell was last seen around 6 p.m. near the Loveland/Johnstown Park-N-Ride parking lot. This is near Highway 402 and Interstate 25. Her phone stopped sharing data on Sunday evening, according to a verified GoFundMe.
She was reported missing and on Tuesday, Dec. 2, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) issued an endangered missing alert for the 20-year-old.
On Dec. 4, two water searches took place. The first happened near the Johnstown Ready Mix Plant, however the Weld County Sheriff's Office later wrote on social media that "after dive and drone teams conducted a thorough search, no vehicle was found."
The second search unfolded just northeast of the Timnath Reservoir, which is about 15 miles north of the park-n-ride where Russell was last seen. Authorities had received a report of a single car crash in a canal. Multiple law enforcement agencies responded and found a black 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan upside down in the waterway. Colorado State Patrol confirmed it was Russell's car and said a body was inside.
Her family confirmed to Denver7 shortly afterward that it was Russell's body.
Denver7 followed this case throughout the day as it evolved. Below, you can watch our latest report from when authorities discovered the vehicle in the canal.
A GoFundMe, which has been verified, was created to support Russell's mother.
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