NJ woman goes missing and dies while hiking high on mushrooms, cops say
A Bergen County woman who police said was hiking while under the influence of mushrooms in a Washington State park was found dead in a river on Saturday.
The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office said that they received a call around 8 p.m. Friday from a friend who had been hiking with Alisonstar E. Molaf, 25, before they got separated in Wallace State Park.
The park service's Search and Rescue Unit, sheriff's deputies and fire rescue teams immediately tried to locate Molaf but were unsuccessful.
When the search resumed Saturday morning, the Ridgefield Park resident's body was discovered in the Wallace River near 150th Street SE in Gold Bar, Washington.
Molaf and her friend, whose identity was not disclosed, are believed to have been under the influence of mushrooms, according to the sheriff's office. The agency said her death appears to be accidental.
The Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office said a cause and manner of death are pending.
Wallace Falls State Park is located about an hour east of Seattle at the western edge of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
"You will truly be missed"
Molaf was a graduate of Hasbrouck Heights High School and attended Bergen Community College, according to her Facebook page. She graduated from Montclair State University in 2020.
A GoFundMe page was created to help her father with expenses.
"To our angel, the memories you have created with family and friends will always be remembered and never forgotten. You will truly be missed and were taken far too soon from us. We love you, fly high Queen," the fundraising page says.
Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com
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