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NEED TO KNOW
- Juanita Rosa was reportedly with her family for breakfast prior to her disappearance earlier this month
- Authorities said her body was later found a quarter mile away from where her vehicle was discovered in Superior, Wis., on Friday, Aug. 22
- “We extend our deepest gratitude to all who have supported us during this profoundly difficult time,” her relatives said in a statement
An 85-year-old woman from Minnesota who went missing weeks ago was recently found dead in Wisconsin not far from her vehicle, authorities said.
The Superior Police Department confirmed in a news release that officers were initially summoned to N. 54th Street and Logan Avenue around 12:50 p.m. local time on Friday, Aug. 22, about a vehicle found in a wooded area near that intersection.
Officials found the car about 200 yards into the woods, down an ATV trail.
The vehicle belonged to Juanita Rosa, 85, of Hinckley, Minn. She had last been seen on Aug. 4, according to a missing persons bulletin from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Superior police didn’t locate Rosa near her vehicle on Friday and then requested the help of the St. Louis County Rescue Squad to search the nearby Superior Municipal Forest.
Within hours, a K-9 found Rosa’s body “about a quarter mile” from her vehicle, police said. “No foul play is suspected in this incident.”
Further details about her death were not immediately available.
According to Rosa’s family members, she’d had breakfast with her two sons and then went home for a nap before vanishing, Fox affiliate KMSP reported.
Relatives described her as a loving grandmother with a sense of humor.
“The Superior Police Department extends our heartfelt sympathy to Juanita’s family and friends during this difficult time,” authorities said in their statement. “We also express our gratitude toward the St. Louis County Rescue Squad and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance.”
The family issued a statement on Friday that was published by Northern News Now.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to all who have supported us during this profoundly difficult time,” they said. “The outpouring of prayers, the countless individuals who have shared information and devoted their time, the tireless efforts of law enforcement, most notable the Pine County Sheriff’s Office, have provided strength and comfort beyond what words can convey.”
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“If there is one message we hope everyone takes from this, it is to never miss a chance to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you,” the family’s continued. “Life is fragile, and those words can never be said too often.”
