Kaylee Russell, 20: Coroner Confirms Accidental Death After Car Found Submerged Near Timnath

The Larimer County Coroner's Office has confirmed the identity and cause of death for 20-year-old Kaylee Russell, whose body was recovered from her vehicle after a multi-day missing-person search in northern Colorado.

Russell was last seen on November 30, 2025, when she was dropped off at a Park‑N‑Ride and expected to arrive at a friend’s home but never arrived, according to an initial bulletin from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Local reports and a family GoFundMe campaign indicate Russell’s father had helped her change a flat tire that day and her phone subsequently stopped sharing data.

On December 4, officials responding to a single-vehicle crash near Timnath located a black 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan submerged off the east side of Larimer County Road 1. Divers recovered a body inside the vehicle. The CBI deactivated its missing-person alert after confirming the vehicle was related to Russell and announced she "has been located."

Coroner's Findings

On December 8 the Larimer County Coroner’s Office confirmed the victim's identity and reported that Russell was found inside her vehicle after it had apparently crashed into a canal and was pronounced dead at the scene. Based on the scene investigation, officials believe she died on November 30, 2025.

The coroner ruled the cause of death to be the "combined effects of blunt force injuries and cold exposure" and listed the manner of death as accidental. The office said no additional information is expected to be released.

Family tributes: Russell’s mother, Rebecca Russell, told KDVR her daughter "was a beautiful soul and loved hard," noting Kaylee called daily to share even small moments. Family friend Kristi Dahlstrom described Kaylee as "an amazing, resilient girl," adding she was a hard worker who could be "sassy and stubborn"—traits the friend said made her special.

The community share alerts and online fundraising drew attention during the search; a GoFundMe set up for the family had raised more than $22,000 as of December 8. Local authorities — including the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the Larimer County Coroner’s Office — handled recovery and identification efforts.

Note: Out of respect for the family, the coroner indicated no further investigative details will be released at this time.