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Missing woman found dead near Los Angeles-area hiking trail

Narineh Avakian, 37, of Glendale, was discovered near the Mount Waterman Trail in Los Angeles, police said.

A woman in California was found dead near a hiking trail Saturday, about a week after she was reported missing by her family.

Authorities discovered the body of Narineh Avakian, 37, of Glendale, near Mount Waterman Trail in the Los Angeles area, according to the Glendale Police Department. A preliminary investigation indicated no foul play, but an investigation into her death was ongoing, police said.

Narineh Avakian
Narineh Avakian.Glendale Police Department

Police said family members reported Avakian missing on Monday after she left home Sunday around noon.

"Prior to leaving, Narineh told her family she was going on a one-day hiking trip, but did not provide a location and never returned home," police said. "Per the family, it is common for Narineh to go hiking with groups and on solo trips — though lately she has been going solo."

On Thursday, officers located Avakian's parked vehicle at the “Buckhorn Day Use Area” along the Angeles Crest Highway, about 6,700 feet above sea level, which had been heavily affected by snow, according to police. After their discovery, search and rescue teams from 17 different counties assisted in the search effort before it was terminated early Friday morning because of worsening weather conditions, police said.

Authorities picked up the search a few hours after snowfall on Friday, police said.