Missing Utah Camper with Diabetes Found Dead After Nearly 10-Day Search

Date: Category:US Views:3 Comment:0
GoFundMe Chad Burningham

A missing man with diabetes has been found dead after disappearing from a campsite 10 days ago.

Chad Burningham, 42, was located by search and rescue dogs on Wednesday, July 23, the Tooele County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) announced in a news release shared on Facebook.

Burningham — who was diabetic and required a daily intake of multiple medicines, per a GoFundMe page — had last been seen on July 14, leaving a campsite while camping with friends in Soldier Canyon, Stockton, at around 8:00 a.m. local time, KSL TV 5 reported, citing the TCSO.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to Chad’s family and loved ones," the TCSO said following their discovery, per the news release. "We also want to thank all the volunteers and partnering agencies who dedicated their time to the search — especially Dogs at Work Search and Rescue for their continued efforts."

GoFundMe Chad Burningham

GoFundMe

Chad Burningham

The investigation into Burningham's death is ongoing, the sheriff's office said, and as a result, “no further information is available at this time.”

It is currently unknown if Burningham had the device needed to treat his diabetes with him at the time of his disappearance.

“Family has told us he should have his insulin pump, but we haven’t been able to confirm that,” Sgt. Dane Lerdahl of the sheriff’s office previously said, per KSL TV 5.

A fundraiser created after Burningham went missing is now raising funds for his funeral expenses. The late camper's family shared an insight into his medical situation in the description of the GoFundMe page.

“Chad is a diabetic with high blood pressure, a failing kidney, vision loss, and is on dialysis multiple days of the week. He takes several meds to keep moving forward,” the GoFundMe states. “He has been in and out of the ER more times than I can remember in the last 6 months. Needless to say, his health does not support the ability to hike or even walk a long distance.”

"He was so excited to go camping with his friends,” the fundraiser says. “I imagine because this would be doing something that felt ‘normal’ and not house based.”

Tooele County Sheriff's Office Search efforts for Chad Burningham

Tooele County Sheriff's Office

Search efforts for Chad Burningham

The GoFundMe also alleges that Burningham went missing after telling the two friends he was camping with that he was going for a walk.

He first “woke them up concerned about a fire and wanting to leave,” per the fundraiser. After they told him there was no fire, Burningham “told them he wanted to go for a walk,” at which point his friends “turned around for a second and he was gone.”

“They mentioned that he went for a walk the day prior and came back within an hour. So at this point they were not worried and waited,” the GoFundMe adds. But “after several hours of being gone they called the police.”

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Tooele County Sheriff's Office Search efforts for Chad Burningham

Tooele County Sheriff's Office

Search efforts for Chad Burningham

News that Burningham was found dead comes a week after the TCSO’s last update on the search for him. On July 16, two days after he went missing, the sheriff's office stated on Facebook that the “extensive efforts" to find the missing 42-year-old were still underway.

The search and rescue efforts included the use of not only tracking dogs, but also drones, a helicopter and an airplane, the sheriff's office said.

“We have extensively searched the areas where we believe Chad may have been and our detectives are working on other potential leads," the TCSO said at the time.

“We sincerely thank the public for their continued support, awareness, and cooperation as we remain committed to bringing Chad home,” the update concluded.

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