Yohanes Kidane, missing Netflix employee, found dead in San Francisco Bay
The Marin County Sheriff's Office Coroner Division performed an autopsy and determined the cause of death was blunt impact injuries and drowning, concluding the method to be suicide.
A body found in the waters of San Francisco Bay is confirmed to be that of Yohanes Kidane, 22, who went missing in California about two weeks into his dream job at Netflix.
According to Fox News, the California Highway Patrol notified the Coroner Division of the Marin County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 29 around 11:40 a.m. that a passing boat had discovered an unconscious and unresponsive individual in the San Francisco Bay, northeast of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Coast Guard responded and pulled the body from the water, taking it to the guard’s Station Golden Gate in Sausalito. There, paramedics declared the victim dead, noting the condition of the victim prevented any attempts at resuscitation, according to the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s office stated that the remains, which displayed signs of advanced decomposition, extensive exposure to the water environment, and significant depredation, were unrecognizable and lacked identification.
On Aug. 31, following an inquiry, authorities identified the individual as Kidane, originally from Webster, New York.
The coroner’s office performed an autopsy and determined the cause of death was blunt impact injuries and drowning, and concluded the method to be suicide.
Family members grew concerned when, on Aug. 14, Kidane’s phone location kept placing him at the Golden Gate Bridge, which is over an hour away from his San Jose apartment, theGrio previously reported.
His location was still on the bridge the following morning, further alarming his younger sister, Sarah, when he didn’t answer her calls.
Later, the family found out Kidane missed work on Aug. 15.
Yosief Kidane, his elder brother, said some of his possessions were found near the Golden Gate Bridge a week before authorities made their discovery public, Fox News reported. Kidane’s wallet still contained cash, and his laptop was still in his backpack.
On Aug. 21, the San Jose Police Department said Kidane had taken a rideshare on Aug. 14 from San Jose to San Francisco, where he was last spotted.
At the time, the police department found no evidence indicating a crime had been committed.
Kidane moved to California from New York to work as a software engineer for Netflix after graduating from Cornell University in May.
If you or a loved one are having suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
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