TAVARES, Fla. — A 19-year-old U.S. Army soldier from Florida was found dead in a coastal cave in Morocco, and her remains traveled to the United States aboard a U.S. Air Force C-130J, according to the Defense Department.
Spc. Mariyah Symone Collington, of Taveres, Fla., and 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., of Richmond, Va., fell off a cliff during an off-duty hike on May 2, and their deaths remained under investigation on Thursday.
Collington served as an air and missile defense crewmember and was assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment.
“The loss of Spc. Collington is a profound loss for the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command,” Brig. Gen. Curtis King, commanding general of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, said in a statement.
Collington and Key, 27, vanished near the Cap Draa Training Area during the African Lion 26, a military exercise led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa. Key’s remains were recovered along the shoreline on May 9, according to DOD.
U.S. Air Force pararescuemen with the 406th Air Expeditionary Wing, Moroccan military mountaineers, and Moroccan Civil Protection found and recovered Collington’s remains on May 12, according to DOD.
Collington entered the Army’s delayed entry program in 2023 and started active-duty service in 2024. She completed basic combat training and advanced individual training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as a 14P air and missile defense crewmember.
Collington reported to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, in Ansbach, Germany, in February 2025.
“Spc. Collington was an outstanding Soldier whose unwavering enthusiasm and positive spirit uplifted every environment she entered,” Capt. Spencer Grider, commander of Charlie Battery, 5-4 ADAR said in a statement. “Her infectious energy, whether in the office, in the field, or among her peers, fostered connection and camaraderie, bringing people together through her genuine warmth and heartfelt sense of humor. Her presence will be greatly missed across our formation.”
Collington was promoted to specialist on May 1, and her awards and decorations included the U.S. Army Service Ribbon.
“Spc. Collington was a bright light in this battalion. To the Soldiers who knew her best and served alongside her each day, she was a treasured friend whose loss leaves a deep and profound void on our team,” Lt. Col. Chris Couch, the 5-4 ADAR battalion commander, said in a statement. “As we hold her family, friends, and teammates in our prayers, we extend our heartfelt thanks to the U.S. personnel and Moroccan partners who dedicated themselves to bringing her home.”
Location of soldiers’ deaths
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