A 26-year-old woman reported missing in the desert west of Maricopa was found dead this weekend after a multi-day search, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

Family members in Mexico contacted the sheriff’s office Thursday after losing contact with the woman, who had been traveling on foot through the desert, MCSO stated.

According to the sheriff’s office, the woman last communicated with her family Wednesday and told them she was not feeling well. She also reported that the group she had been traveling with had left her behind. 

Deputies and search-and-rescue personnel searched the area using coordinates the woman had previously shared with her family but were unable to locate her.

Hikers discovered an unresponsive woman beneath a tree Sunday in a remote desert area near Interstate 8 and Vekol Valley Road, about 23 miles southwest of Maricopa. Deputies responded and confirmed the woman was the same individual reported missing by her family.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

MCSO stated no foul play is suspected at this time. The investigation remains open pending review by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office.