Co. Mom and Son, 6, Were Reported Missing — The Next Day, Their Bodies Were Found in a Utah National Park

Co. Mom and Son, 6, Were Reported Missing — The Next Day, Their Bodies Were Found in a Utah National Park

Authorities in Utah are investigating a suspected murder-suicide

Nicole Acosta

Mon, January 12, 2026 at 7:07 PM UTC

1 min read

Cavan Images/Getty Canyonlands National Park, Utah — Cavan Images/Getty
Canyonlands National Park, Utah

NEED TO KNOW

A Colorado mother and her 6-year-old son were found dead in a national park last week
Authorities in Utah are investigating the deaths, which they believe were the result of a murder-suicide
The pair were reported missing the day before they were found

Authorities in Utah are investigating a suspected murder-suicide after a Colorado mother and her 6-year-old son were found dead in Canyonlands National Park.

Park rangers were called to the Shafer Trail around 8:15 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8, after receiving a tip about a suspicious vehicle, the San Juan County Sheriff's Office in Utah said in a press release.

There, they found a woman dead outside the vehicle and a boy unresponsive inside. First responders attempted life-saving measures, and the boy was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, per the sheriff's office.

The deceased woman was later identified as the boy’s mother, according to an updated press release.

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The sheriff's office said the mother and son were reported missing by family out of Colorado on Wednesday, Jan. 7, though their names have not been made public at this time.

Authorities said, “based on all evidence so far, this case is being investigated as a homicide and suicide,” per the release. The investigation remains ongoing as of Monday, Jan. 12.

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