PORT ANGELES — Authorities were slated to continue their search today for Margaret Mary Baker, a surgeon and accomplished French horn player whose overturned red kayak was found Saturday evening floating on Lake Crescent.
Teams were at the Olympic National Park lake Tuesday continuing the search and investigation, park spokeswoman Penny Wagner said in an email.
“I do not have any updates at this time,” she said.
Park rangers discovered Baker’s kayak in the lake at about 6:45 p.m. Saturday near Barnes Point about four hours after her sister reported her missing, authorities said.
City, county and state law enforcement authorities had been searching the Port Angeles area for her since about 7 p.m. Friday after she made repeated threats to family and friends that she intended to harm herself, Port Angeles Assistant Police Chief Jason Viada said.
Authorities found Baker’s 2016 BMW SUV parked on East Beach Road early Saturday evening by tracing her cellphone to the vehicle shortly before they discovered the kayak.
“Her personal effects, phone and wallet were the only things found in the car,” Wagner said Tuesday in a text message.
Baker turned 60 on Friday, Viada said.
Six people, including family members, had reported that Baker was suicidal between Friday and Saturday in the hours after her spouse had issued a restraining order against her, according to a Port Angeles police report.
She had previously made suicidal comments, according to the report.
One person told authorities Baker had threatened to die by suicide Friday because it was her birthday, according to the report.
The threats occurred after Baker had called 9-1-1 at about 12:45 p.m. Friday to say her wife had locked her out of their Eden Valley Road home west of Port Angeles, according to the police report.
When deputies arrived, they served Baker with a restraining order requested by the spouse, who was also present, Viada said.
Baker said the two had been married 28 years, according to the report.
Authorities received the first call that Baker was threatening to harm herself later Friday following the confrontation, Viada said.
Port Angeles police officers found Baker sitting in her vehicle at the couple’s other home with the kayak in the back at about 2 p.m., Viada said.
“Margaret was sitting in the car reading the protection order that had just been served,” Viada said.
Baker’s behavior did not warrant taking her into custody under the Involuntary Treatment Act, he said.
A person has to indicate they intend to do imminent harm to themselves to be taken into custody under the law, Viada said, saying the person has to be “suicidal with a specific plan.”
The other calls warning that Baker was going to harm herself came in after the welfare check, Viada said.
The last call she made was to her sister, who made the request that Baker be designated a missing person, he said.
Baker told her sister she would be the last person she would talk to.
“Obviously, there’s a suicide concern there,” Viada said.
Baker revised her will following the confrontation with her spouse, Viada said.
Both women owned guns, Viada said.
Port Angeles police checked Port Angeles hotels for signs of Baker later Friday without success, he said.
Baker is described as being 5-foot-6 and about 160 pounds.
Anyone with information on Baker’s whereabouts or who was in the East Beach Road area Friday or Saturday is asked to call the park’s investigative tip line at 888-653-0009.
Park staff conducted a grid search for Baker over 14 miles by boat from Barnes Point east to East Beach, Wagner said.
They also searched the Lake Crescent shoreline.
Park rangers, county sheriff’s office marine unit members and state Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel conducted multiple searches Sunday.
Kitsap County search dogs and a search-and-rescue dive team also provided teams.
Baker is an independent orthopedic surgeon on the Olympic Medical Center staff who is not currently working at the hospital, according to hospital spokeswoman Bobby Beeman.
Baker plays first-chair French horn for the Port Angeles Symphony and has played with the symphony for 19 years, conductor Jonathan Pasternack said Tuesday.
“She is incredibly passionate and dedicated to music and to the Port Angeles Symphony,” he said.
“She’s a very thoughtful person, and holds herself to a very high standard.”
________
Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
