SAN FRANCISCO—The remains of a 22-year-old Netflix engineer were found in the San Francisco Bay off the Golden Gate Bridge. Officials ruled his death a suicide and determined that the cause of death was blunt impact injuries and drowning.
Yohanes Kidane, who is originally from Webster, New York, was reported missing on August 15, about two weeks after he began working at what was referred to as his dream job at Netflix.
On August 29, at around 11:40 a.m. a boat passing through the San Francisco Bay discovered an unconscious and unresponsive individual northeast of the Golden Gate Bridge. This discovery was reported to the California Highway Patrol who notified the Coroner Division of the Marin County Sheriff’s Office.
The Coast Guard responded to the reports and obtained the remains from the bay. They transferred the body to the guard’s Station Golden Gate in Sausalito where paramedics declared the victim dead.
“The remains exhibited signs of advanced decomposition, prolonged exposure to the aquatic environment and appreciable depredation,” read a statement from the Sheriff’s office. Investigators could not find identification on Kidane’s person and since the body was in an advanced decomposition stage he was “unidentifiable and unknown.”
Two days later, after an autopsy was conducted, it was declared that the deceased person was positively scientifically identified as Yohanes Stefanos Kidane. His next of kin were notified about the discovery of his death.
Kidane’s family members became concerned a day before he was reported missing because Kidane’s phone location kept placing him at the Golden Gate Bridge, an hour away from his San Jose apartment. He had recently moved to the location after graduating from Cornell University and landed a job as a software engineer.
On the morning of August 15, his location was still pinned on the bridge and his younger sister, Sarah, began to become more alarmed since he didn’t answer any of her calls. The family later discovered that day that Kidane missed work.
Investigators found that Kidane got into an Uber at around 7:15 p.m. on August 14 and traveled to the bridge. Police indicated that they found no evidence that a crime had been committed.
According to Yosief Kidane, who is the deceased elder brother, some of Kidane’s possessions were found near the Golden Gate Bridge about a week before police made their discovery. His wallet still contained cash, and his laptop was still in his backpack which was found at the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center.
In an interview with Dateline, Yosief described his brother as his “best friend,” who had always been right by his side.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
