Missing US Tourist From Westchester County Found Dead On Panama Island

PANAMA CITY (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Panamanian authorities say a 23-year-old U.S. tourist from Westchester County has been found dead on a Caribbean island.

Panama's Civil Defense said the body of Catherine Johannet of Scarsdale was found Sunday on a trail in a wooded area not far from a beach on Bastimentos Island. The U.S. Embassy in Panama City confirmed her death. No cause of death was provided.

Johannet had been staying in a hostel on Colon Island, part of the same archipelago popular for its clear water and coral reefs.

The U.S. Embassy says that Panamanian authorities and the FBI had searched for Johannet throughout the weekend and will continue investigating the case.

In a Sunday evening Facebook post, Johannet's sister Laura thanked her friends for their support as they tried to find Catherine.

"My family is thinking of all our beautiful memories with our laughing, adventurous, warm little girl," the post continued. "She was always there to listen to you and just enjoy life with her loved ones."

Funeral arrangements for Catherine have not yet been announced.

(TM and © Copyright 2017 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)