Her family last saw Katelyn Berry on or around December 21. As Ms. Berry was a young, independent adult, her family did not think anything of it when they had not heard from her for a few days. Many young adults do not check in daily with their families, and Katelynn Berry was no different.
However, that calmness turned to worry when they tried texting and calling with no response. As they were on a shared family plan, they pulled up her phone records and saw no outgoing calls or answered calls since around December 21. They knew something was not right and decided to file a police report.
The family officially reported Katelynn Berry missing on December 31, 2021.
The Community Rallying Around the Family
As soon as the police report was made, the local police department looked for Katelynn. They determined that her purse and cell phone were still at her home and the jacket she always wore out. There were no indications of foul play, but there were also no indications of where Ms. Berry could be.
The police department, searchers, and local volunteers got to work organizing searches in an effort to find any clues as to where Katelynn Berry may have gone and where she could be.
In addition to this, the community came together to support the family. The family will forever be grateful to all of the community members who came together to pray for and search for Katelynn.
Laying Katelynn Berry to Rest
On January 20, 2022, it was announced that local volunteers searching for Katelynn had found a body that was believed to be hers. The body was found very close to her apartment. The search was immediately called off. The body was confirmed as being Katelyn Berry within a few days, and an autopsy was conducted.
The autopsy revealed that Katelynn had passed away due to hypothermia. Temperatures in the area were at or below the zero degrees mark. Her death was ruled an accident, and there were no signs of foul play. Her family was able to lay her to rest on January 28, 2022.
While the outcome was not what the family was hoping for, not knowing where Katelynn was for nearly a month was hard. They are so grateful to every volunteer who helped them find their daughter and allowed them to give her a proper funeral.
Katelynn’s Voice Foundation
The family of Katelynn Berry announced in March 2022 that they were starting a new nonprofit foundation called Katelynn’s Voice Foundation. The foundation is designed to help keep Katelynn’s memory alive and help others in the same position she once found herself in.
The foundation will assist with many things, but one of the focal points is providing scholarships to high school seniors and undergraduate students in Minnesota, Montana, and North Dakota who may be dealing with mental health struggles or addiction recovery.
