Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PAROWAN — The body of a father who went missing after his family’s van got stuck in the snow was found by a ranch hand Sunday.
Daniel Michael Brown, 34, left his wife and four kids in their van to search for help on March 28, according to the Iron County Sheriff’s Office. The ages of the children are 7 months to 11 years. Investigators said it appeared he died the night he went missing due to the cold temperatures, which were in the low 30s.
Brown’s body was discovered under a tree near Minersville Highway by the ranch hand at about 6 p.m. Sunday, according to the sheriff’s office. Investigators noted that his body was about 2 miles southwest of where the van was stuck.
After Brown was reported missing on March 29, search teams looked for him from March 30 to April 3. Drones were used to assist with the efforts.
“The area where Mr. Brown was located was within the full search area,” a statement from the sheriff’s office reads. “Due to the location of the body, it is believed searchers would have had to be within a few feet to have seen Brown and it would have been very difficult for aircraft to have seen Brown from the air.”
On the morning after he left the van, Brown's wife discovered the cellphone that she believed her husband had brought with him. She called 911 and deputies arrived to aid her and her children, according to police.
Police said the Brown family, who were homeless, would frequently drive to the remote area and camp there when they had no place to say.
Brown’s body will be sent to the state medical examiner's office, according to the sheriff’s office.
