The strange disappearance and death of Stella Wong in the Don River
Stella Wong, disappeared Monday, December 23, 2018, Crothers Woods Trail, near Redway Road, East York, Toronto, Canada. Body Found December 24, 2018, near Don River.
Revised May 2024
Stella Wong, 45, was last seen at around 7 pm on December 23, 2018, on the Crothers Woods Trail near Redway Road in the East York area of Toronto, Canada. She had been hiking the trail with a friend, but for reasons unknown, they became separated, and Stella vanished from the trail soon after.
The next the body was recovered by search and rescue and the Police. Stella had ended up drowned in the local Don River, which passed nearby, despite being a very regular visitor to the area. Why did Stella’s friend say, “Something doesn’t seem right?”
The hike on the Crothers Woods Trail
Stella and her companion left their cars in the Loblaws Parking Lot on Redway Road before making their way to the trail on foot. On December 23rd, temperatures in the area were below 0°C (32°F) overnight.
What is and where is the Crothers Wood Trail?
There is a short walk to the Crothers Woods Trailhead, by the Loblaws Parking Lot. The trail is used by bikers and hikers, and it is well-marked, taking you through mature forests and open spaces adjacent to the Don River at Points.
The discovery of Stella Wong’s body
The next day at around 9 am, a body was located near the Don River by Toronto Police and search and rescue teams. Detective Anthony Paoletta said, “Uniformed officers located the body of a female, which we believe at this time to be Stella Wong.” According to Det. Paoletta, there were no signs to indicate trauma, “There is no information to indicate that foul play is something we need to consider”.
Police remove a body from a wooded area near the Don River, on Monday, Dec. 24, 2018.
What happened to Stella Wong?
Stella’s longtime friend, Ian Wylie, told CTV News Toronto that “something doesn’t seem right,” as she was part of a mountain biking group and knew the trails in the area very well. He said “She came here all the time. She parked in the same spot every time. And she would ride up and down these trails.”
Apparently, Stella’s hiking companion cooperated with the investigation and was never charged with any crime.
Why were the two hikers on the trail so late in the day on December 23, 2018? Were they lost? Did they have torches?
How and why did the two companions separate at 7 pm?
How did Stella get lost and end up drowning in an area she had hiked/biked in for years? Did she slip, was she pushed?
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Similar stories of Hiker and biker disappearances and deaths
There have been other stories where visitors to parks have mysteriously ended up dead- runners, hikers and cyclists.
The mysterious disappearance of James J. Arthur at Iron Lakes
The strange disappearance and death of the jogger Michael Kenney
The mysterious disappearance of cyclist Marty Leger in Nova Scotia
Sources
https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/body-found-in-wooded-area-believed-to-be-that-of-missing-woman-police-1.4230059
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2018/12/28/missing-hiker-in-crothers-woods-died-by-drowning/
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g155019-d8508507-Reviews-Crothers_Woods-Toronto_Ontario.html#photos;aggregationId=&albumid=&filter=2&ff=232299358