Christiana Rocha had been missing since at least January 30, but police did not find her body until this past week when a passerby saw her remains buried in snow.
A body was found near Minnesota Elementary School on Wednesday, and has been identified as 22-year-old Christiana Rocha, according to local Rochester Minnesota outlet KIMT.
The remains of the young woman had been found near a snow pile in Gage Elementary’s parking lot by someone who was walking their dog, according to the authorities.
Rocha’s family contacted the local police department in Northfield in hopes of getting a welfare check on January 30. The police were able to track her phone to northwest Rochester. Rocha had no known address in the area, and the woman was not located until over a month later, the police said.
Authorities believe that the body had been covered by snow for weeks, but was in an area of the school that was not frequented.
According to the local outlet, investigators found no immediate or obvious trauma serving as an explanation for Rocha’s death, nor do they feel there is an imminent threat to the public.
According to the outlet, an autopsy to determine the cause of death is to come.
