Hailey Athay
Hailey Elizabeth Athay, a 34-year-old mother of three, has been missing since Thanksgiving Day 2024. She was last seen in the Rose Valley area near Kelso, Washington.
By early January 2025, her disappearance was officially reported after she failed to make contact with her family, and the discovery of her personal belongings—including her ID and tablet—discarded in some bushes added immediate concern to the investigation.
No confirmed sightings have been reported since she disappeared, and while multiple large-scale searches have been conducted across the rugged terrain of Cowlitz County, investigators have yet to find a breakthrough.
The suspicious circumstances surrounding her discarded items and the sudden loss of contact have made the search agonizing for her three children and extended family.
Last Reported Activity: Athay reportedly went into the woods with an acquaintance to go mushroom picking. While the individual she was with returned, Athay did not, and she has not been seen or heard from since.
Initial Report: Her family initially wasn’t alarmed as it was not unusual for her to need space, but after weeks without contact, they filed a missing persons report in January 2025.
Physical Description: Athay is 5’7″, approximately 135 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes.
Ongoing Search: Friends, family, and volunteer groups have conducted multiple searches in the vast, hilly terrain of Rose Valley, Toutle, and along Ocean Beach Highway.
Reward: A $1,500 cash reward has been offered for information leading to her whereabouts.
Even small pieces of information — a remembered sighting in the Rose Valley or Toutle areas, a conversation overheard, or something unusual noticed near the Kelso apartments where her items were found — could help provide the missing link in her case. Community members are encouraged to review any photos or memories from late 2024 that might involve Hailey.
Hailey’s disappearance continues to weigh heavily on the local community, and law enforcement is urging the public to come forward with any details, no matter how insignificant they may seem. In cases where the trail has gone cold, a single tip from the public is often what finally brings answers to a grieving family.
If you have any information about the disappearance of Hailey Elizabeth Athay, please contact Detective James Hanberry at the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office at (360) 577-3092.
