- Rebecca Rauber, 28, an elementary school teacher, was found dead Sunday about 300 yards from where she was last seen on surveillance.
- Rauber left the Town Royal bar at about 11:37 p.m. Friday without her purse, phone or jacket during frigid storm conditions.
- Search crews, including K-9 Daisy from K-9 Search and Rescue Kansas, located her body covered in snow in a nearby wooded area.
- An autopsy is pending, investigators suspect hypothermia, and Emporia schools offered counselors to students and staff after the confirmed death.
EMPORIA, KANSAS — Rebecca Rauber, a 28-year-old elementary school teacher reported missing during a major winter storm, was found dead Sunday in a wooded area of Emporia, roughly 300 yards from where she was last seen on surveillance footage leaving a bar late Friday night.
Last Seen Leaving Bar During Severe Cold
Rauber was last captured on video leaving the Town Royal bar at about 11:37 p.m. on Friday. She left on foot without her purse, phone, or a jacket, according to information released during the search.
Authorities reported temperatures were near 3 degrees, with a wind chill around minus 13, during the time she was believed to have disappeared.
Body Located by K-9 Team
Search crews located Rauber’s body Sunday, covered in snow, in a wooded area near the bar. She was found with help from K-9 Daisy of K-9 Search and Rescue Kansas.
An autopsy is pending, and the cause of death has not been formally confirmed. Investigators said she was believed to have died from hypothermia.
School District Announces Support for Students and Staff
Rauber taught second grade at Riverside Elementary School. Following confirmation of her death, the Emporia Public School District announced counselors and support teams would be made available to students and staff as they process the loss.
Storm Conditions Remained Dangerous Nationwide
Rauber’s death was reported as one of multiple fatalities linked to the severe winter storm that moved across large portions of the United States. Reports also cited widespread power outages and major travel disruptions as the storm brought snow, ice, and extreme cold.
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