Missing kindergarten teacher found dead in North Umpqua River

PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) – Deputies found the body of a 27-year-old kindergarten teacher in the North Umpqua River on Friday nearly two months after she went missing in late February.

Rachel Merchant-Ly of Idleyld Park was first reported missing on Feb. 29 when she didn’t show up to work at Glide Elementary School that morning. Later that day, deputies found her car crashed on Highway 138E near Milepost 41.

When the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office recovered her car from the river, however, Merchant-Ly wasn’t inside.

On April 19, a search and rescue party found a body approximately 7.5 miles downstream from the crash site and a medical examiner confirmed it was Merchant-Ly.

“I cannot thank the dedicated deputies, SAR Volunteers, agency partners and community members who have not given up on finding Rachel,” Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin said. “Commissioner Freeman and I have been in personal communication with Rachel’s husband, mother, father and extended family. They are extremely thankful for the efforts of everyone involved.”

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