A father and daughter were found dead on Mount Katahdin in Maine, days after they were reported missing.
The body of Tim Keiderling, 58, was discovered Tuesday on the Tablelands area of the mountain, Baxter State Park said in a news release.
His daughter, Esther Keiderling, 28, was found dead Wednesday afternoon in a wooded area between two trails off the Tablelands after an extensive search. She was found approximately 1,000 feet from her father's body, park officials said.
Crews, including game wardens, rangers and K-9 teams, had searched Mount Katahdin both on the ground and from the air for Esther Keiderling, Baxter State Park said in an earlier news release. Maine Forest Service Helicopters and Maine Army National Guard helicopters assisted.
The pair, from Ulster Park, New York, left Abol Campground on Sunday to hike the summit, the park said.
They were last seen around 10:15 a.m. heading toward the summit. Park rangers began searching for them on Monday after finding their vehicle in a day-use parking lot.
Tim Keiderling was a member of the Bruderhof Communities, a Christian community in which people share all their possessions, including money.
His brother-in-law, Heinrich Arnold, said in a statement on the community's Facebook page: "It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of the passing of my brother-in-law and fellow Bruderhof member Tim Keiderling. Although our brother Tim was taken from us all too soon, we know Tim loved Jesus and is now in eternity with Him."
Arnold posted another statement after news of Esther's death.
"This is a heartbreaking tragedy, difficult to fully grasp," he said. "One comfort to the family is knowing that Tim and Esther were doing something they both were passionate about: being near to God, surrounded by expansive views and visions, immersed in nature, in the raw and wild beauty of creation."
Rifton Equipment, a medical supply company in Ulster County, New York, said both of the Keiderlings worked there for years.
The company said in a statement that the two "went missing on a hike over the weekend after encountering difficult weather conditions. First responders have since found both succumbed to exposure."
"Thank you for your concern for their family and your prayers in these difficult days," it said.
