Officials try to identify body of girl

The Thurston County Coroner’s office today will examine the dental records of an unidentified girl whose body was found Monday morning at a hydroelectric facility just outside Yelm.

A worker with the Centralia City Light Yelm Hydroelectric Project at 14024 Yelm Highway S.E. discovered the body about 9 a.m. Monday, plant manager Orion Albro said. The body was discovered in a bin that is automatically sifted from the canal that feeds the plant. The bin is checked daily, said Ed Williams, general manager of Centralia City Light.

Thurston County sheriff’s Sgt. Cheryl Stines said Tuesday that it’s possible the girl could be Kylie Ellis, who was 12 when she disappeared in December 2008.

After Ellis disappeared last year, investigators found a note thought to have been written by her in a three-ring binder that was left near a bridge above the Central Power Canal in the Yelm area. The Central Power Canal empties into the hydroelectric facility where the dead girl was found Monday, Stines said.

After Ellis’ disappearance, the Thurston County dive team searched the canal. Officials with the sheriff’s office said at the time that she might have run away.

Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock described the girl found Monday as an adolescent or young teenager.

Jeremy Pawloski: 360-754-5465

jpawloski@theolympian.com