Rachel Hutchinson, Missing Brooklyn Woman, Found Dead in New York Bay: Police

By Simone Wilson

UPDATE, Wednesday: A close friend of Hutchinson's has set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for her funeral costs. Larrell Mattingly writes: "Rachel was a young and loving woman, who was loved by many. Her death at 20 years old, has caught many of us of guard; leaving her loved ones, not only baring the cross of her no longer being with us, but also with the burden of paying for many expenses, that was not prepared for. If you can find it in your heart to support this family in their time of need, you will help ease some of the pain. We know that this will not bring this beloved individual back, but it will help put some ease to the hearts of the loved ones. Thank you in advance for all your support! EVERY dollar counts."

Original story below.

BROOKLYN, NY — The young woman found floating in the Lower New York Bay off Red Hook's Valentino Pier on Monday morning was identified by police Tuesday as Rachel Hutchinson, a 20-year-old Crown Heights resident who went missing in the wee hours Monday.

Hutchinson was last seen leaving her apartment building, located at 588 Park Place — near the intersection of Crown Heights, Prospect Heights and Bed-Stuy — at around 2 a.m., police said.

She was seen heading west on Classon Avenue wearing blue jeans, pink sneakers, a tan jacket and a black book bag, according to detectives.

Hutchinson's loved ones reported her missing later that day, not knowing she had already been spotted by a fisherman in the New York Bay.

Upon arrival to the waters off Red Hook, the NYPD said in a news release, "officers from the NYPD's Harbor Unit discovered an unconscious and unresponsive female in her 30s and removed her to the Valentino Pier. EMS arrived and pronounced the female deceased at the scene."

A police spokesman told Patch that detectives are not investigating Hutchinson's death as a homicide at this time. And earlier, officers had said to Brooklyn Paper that they didn't notice any visible injuries to her body.

According to the NYC Medical Examiner's Office, an examination was performed on Hutchinson's body Tuesday.

However, a spokeswoman for the office said "the cause and manner of her death is still pending further studies."

On her Facebook page, Hutchinson listed herself as a former pre-med student at Kingsborough Community College in Manhattan Beach and a cashier at Popeyes.

A Facebook friend of Hutchinson's named Donte McRae posted to her page Tuesday: "I basically grew up with you. And here I am today now hearing you're gone."

"May you rest in peace," another friend wrote. "Still cant believe it....going to miss you and your warm smiles."