Woman's death ruled accidental

The death of the 28-year-old Kalispell woman recovered March 14 near the head of Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park was declared accidental, the Flathead County Coroner’s Office said March 19.

Amy Marie Reddig had drowned, the coroner determined. Contributing factors were hypothermia and schizophrenia.

The search for Reddig started around 10:15 a.m. on March 14 after the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office issued a report of a woman who hadn’t show up for work as expected. Some notes discussing suicide were also located.

Park rangers found Reddig’s vehicle in the Lake McDonald Lodge parking lot around 11:45 a.m. A search was then initiated in the surrounding area by personnel from Glacier Park, the sheriff’s office, Flathead National Forest, Flathead Search and Rescue, North Valley Search and Rescue, and Flathead Emergency Aviation Resources.

Personnel in the FEAR helicopter spotted a body near the head of Lake McDonald around 3 p.m. The Flathead County Coroner was transported to the scene and identified the body in the lake as Reddig’s. The temperature of the water in Lake McDonald was about 36 degrees. Drowning is the No. 1 cause of death in Glacier Park.