Woman’s body, missing vehicle found in Douglas County

Authorities have recovered a body in Douglas County believed to be a missing woman from Barron County.

Forty-three-year-old Hailey Anderson, from Cumberland, had been reported missing on Sept. 22. Her mother said no one had heard from Anderson since Sept. 16, which was unusual.

According to the Cumberland Police Department, cell phone records showed Anderson’s last known location to be near South Range, with no activity since 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 16. Police asked the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office to check the area for Anderson’s vehicle on Sept. 24, but nothing was found at that time.

Then early Monday, Sept. 27, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office located Anderson’s vehicle near the edge of the Amnicon River. Cumberland Police say it appears her vehicle had veered off U.S. Highway 53 and crashed into the riverbank, with the driver ejected from the vehicle and located deceased nearby.

Police say the operator is believed to be Anderson. Official identification is pending, with an autopsy scheduled for Tuesday.

A news release did not specify how long the vehicle may have been there before it was found.

Cumberland Police Chief Heather Wolfe thanked the Barron and Douglas County sheriff’s offices for their assistance, as well as the public for calling in tips.

"I would like to extend our sincerest condolences to Hailey’s family and friends," Wolfe said in a news release.

Cumberland is about a 1 hour and 15 minute drive from the area where Anderson’s vehicle was found.