Body found in Chattahoochee River identified as missing CDC worker
ATLANTA - Atlanta Police finally confirmed that a body found in the Chattahoochee River has been identified as the missing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention worker Dr. Timothy Cunningham, whose disappearance gripped the nation.
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In a press conference on Thursday afternoon, investigators said they have ruled out the possibility of foul play with the strange circumstances under which Cunningham vanished.
"There was no signs of any foul play, right now the preliminary cause of death is drowning," said Fulton County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jane Gorniak. "We do not have a manner of death, whether it's an accident or a suicide," she said.
Gorniak said it appears Cunningham drowned in the river around the time he vanished in February.
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Before Cunningham's sudden disappearance, investigators said the epidemiologist had learned he was being passed up for a promotion, but the CDC later said that wasn't the case. Officials with the CDC said he actually received an early promotion to Commander, effective July 1, which contradicted what was said during a police news conference.
Over the past few weeks, volunteers spent countless hours searching for any trace of the 35-year-old but didn't have any luck.
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On Thursday, the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office had positively identified the victim as Cunningham through dental records.
There are still many unanswered questions surrounding Cunningham's disappearance and what led up to his death. On Monday this week, Cunningham's parents told the FOX News sister station in Cleveland their son provided a clue 24 hours before his disappearance, claiming they received a "disturbing" text from him but wouldn't elaborate.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the following statement Thursday: