Hiker finds body of 31-year-old man in woods of Ohio national park, officials say

A person hiking in a wooded area of Cuyahoga Valley National Park came across a man’s body, sparking an investigation into the death, officials say.

The hiker found the body at about 3 p.m. Thursday, March 3, according to a news release from the Summit County Medical Examiner. Authorities responded and pronounced the man dead at the scene.

The victim was later identified as Michael R. Stout II, the medical examiner’s office said. He was 31 years old, according to park officials.

The medical examiner believes he died of exposure, a spokesperson with the Cuyahoga Valley National Park told McClatchy News.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park is about 20 miles southeast of Cleveland. More than 2 million people visit the 33,000-acre park each year, officials say, and it offers hiking, river paddling and other outdoor activities.

This story was originally published March 7, 2022 at 12:41 PM with the headline "Hiker finds body of 31-year-old man in woods of Ohio national park, officials say."