After being missing for close to 48 hours, the body of senior Citlatli Armendariz was found Monday at approximately 3:30 p.m. on the north side of Big Creek.
She was last seen at approximately 9:30 p.m. Saturday before leaving a party at 1154 250th Ave. south of Hays. The Ellis County Sheriff’s Department revealed that after leaving the party, Armendariz walked in a northwest direction where she fell down a 6-foot embankment and hit her head on the ice in Big Creek. After falling, Armendariz stood up and crossed the creek and proceeded walking westward along the bank of the creek for about a quarter of a mile where she was found.
The autopsy done by coroner Lyle Noordhoek revealed Armendariz’s cause of death was hypothermia due to a lack of appropriate winter clothing. It was 9 degrees that night and Armendariz was found in a t-shirt, jeans and sneakers. The death was determined accidental with no foul play involved. Armendariz also was found with a cerebral contusion and a head injury from the fall.
Funeral services will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church with a vigil starting at 7 p.m. Friday night in the IHM Activity Center.