NEW YORK — A mother of four who has been missing for nearly six months has been found dead in a wooded area in Missouri, authorities confirmed.

Sheriff Dave Marshak of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office announced that the body of 33-year-old Emily Strite, who was first reported missing on April 20, was discovered in a wooded area approximately 45 miles southwest of St. Louis, Missouri, according to a statement from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office released on Tuesday.

“On September 28th, deputies responded to a wooded area near the 4100 block of Frissell Road in De Soto for a report of human skeletal remains found by the property owner,” authorities said. “Through comparison to medical and dental records, investigators with the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office determined the remains are those of Emily Strite. She was reported missing in the De Soto area in April of this year.”

Detectives said in April that Strite was last seen on foot wearing jeans and a dark blue hoodie on the morning of April 12 in the De Soto area and “is believed to have been leaving the area of her own free will,” police said.

“At this time, Strite’s cause of death is undetermined, and investigators are working to learn how her body ended up where it was found,” Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said.

The investigation into her disappearance and death remains ongoing and there are no reported suspects or persons of interest in the case.

“[Due] to the ongoing investigation, we 'Emily’s Family' are asking that nobody visits/disturbs the area mentioned of where Emily was recovered,” Strite’s mother posted on social media after authorities confirmed her body had been found. “Please respect our wishes and stay away from the area. We will share details when they are available.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau at 636-797-5515.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.