A tragedy unfolded over the weekend in Kansas after a missing elementary school teacher was found dead in the snow, days after she disappeared from downtown Emporia. Authorities say early evidence points to extreme winter weather as a possible factor in her death, as the investigation continues.
The Emporia Police Department confirmed Sunday that officers located the body of 28-year-old Rebecca Rauber in a wooded area roughly 300 yards south of West 4th Avenue. Police said the location was near where Rauber was last seen on surveillance footage. According to investigators, she was covered in snow when found, and “early indications suggest she may have succumbed to hypothermia” during a snowstorm that intensified overnight.
Rauber was reported missing early Saturday after leaving the Town Royal bar late Friday night. Police said she left on foot without her phone, purse, or jacket. Surveillance video showed her walking alone westbound on West 5th Avenue and later heading north on Neosho Street at approximately 11:37 p.m. Additional footage placed her in the 700 block of West 4th Avenue around 11:44 p.m.
Local radio station KVOE reported temperatures had dropped into the single digits, with wind chills nearing minus 15 degrees. Multiple agencies assisted in the search, including the Kansas Highway Patrol and local search and rescue teams.
In a statement, Emporia police said, “Our hearts and prayers are truly with the Rauber family.” Emporia Public Schools described her as “a valued member of our school community,” noting that counselors are being made available to students and staff.
