Family and friends of Hailey Athay still searching for Longview mother one year after her disappearance

By Alma McCarty, KGW

LONGVIEW, Wash. — This week marks one year since Hailey Athay, a 34-year-old Longview mother, disappeared without a trace. According to family, she was last seen in the Rose Valley area in Kelso, Washington. 

"It's been a nightmare," said Nicole Brooks, Athay's mother. "Just to have answers... would give us some peace to feel like we could move one, and we can move forward."

For 365 days, Brooks has been unable to do that, not knowing what happened to her daughter. 

"She was always a little bit of a wild child. She just had a spirit that couldn't be tamed. You know, if you talk to anyone who knew Haley, Haley was a loving, fun, fiercely loyal friend," she said.

"We tried to call [last] Thanksgiving, and we couldn't get an answer from her, which wasn't completely unusual. You know, she had some struggles with mental health and with addiction," she continued.

But days without contact stretched into weeks. Family and friends knew something wasn't right. 

In early January 2025, a missing person's report was filed. The Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office sent out a notice to the community and asked for tips. On Saturday, the sheriff's office confirmed that the investigation is ongoing. 

Loved ones believe Athay was out in the woods with someone, supposedly mushroom picking. However, Brooks said although the person she was with walked out, her daughter never returned.

"We've been pleading so much for people to come forward because in this area, if you look at the horizon, all you see are hills, and the area is so vast. There's just no way to pinpoint specific areas, and that's what's been so, so difficult," Brooks said. "We want people to share information even if they think that it might not be pertinent because you never know if you have one little piece that puts the puzzle together."

On Saturday, a search party will meet up at the Rose Valley Park & Ride, with plans to scour the area, looking for clues and evidence. 

"We don't know that she's gone, but we don't know where she is," said Brooks. "That's why our motto has been to bring Hailey home, regardless of the circumstances. She has three beautiful daughters that deserve to have the mother home."

The Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office said anyone with information can contact Detective James Hanberry at 360-577-3092.