In the spring of 2020, the community of Port Angeles, Washington, was left with lingering questions surrounding the disappearance of Margaret Mary Baker. A 60-year-old orthopedic surgeon and talented French horn player, she was last heard from by friends and family on April 24, 2020. The day after her last contact, her vehicle was discovered parked in a pull-out on East Beach Road by the serene and beautiful Lake Crescent, located within the vast expanse of Olympic National Park.
The discovery marked the beginning of a mystifying case that would involve an extensive search and leave a community hoping for answers. The day she went missing was her 60th birthday.
The initial search for Margaret began after her sister reported her missing when she was unable to make contact. On the evening of April 25, 2020, authorities located her car. Inside, her wallet, cell phone, and other personal items were found neatly arranged. A short time later, park rangers searching the lakeshore found her red kayak, which had her name tag on it, on the opposite side of the lake from her vehicle. The discovery of the empty kayak prompted a large-scale search effort. Multiple agencies, including the Clallam County Sheriff's Office, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and specialized search and dive teams, joined park rangers to scour the lake and its shoreline by foot, boat, and air for nine days.
Despite the comprehensive and multi-day search, efforts to locate Margaret were hampered by the challenging conditions of Lake Crescent, which is known for its steep underwater drop-offs and depths that can reach over 600 feet. These depths limited the effectiveness of dive teams, who can only safely search to about 130 feet. After an intensive nine-day operation, the active search was scaled back, transitioning to a limited, continuous search, with park rangers remaining vigilant for any new information. Authorities considered using remotely operated vehicles to explore the deeper sections of the lake. The overview of this case is one of sudden and perplexing loss, centered around the discovery of an abandoned vehicle and an empty kayak in a remote national park, leaving family, friends, and investigators without closure.Last Seen: Apr 24, 2020
