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West Milford Body ID'd As Woman Missing After Car Crash

West Milford police on Wednesday confirmed that a body found in the township over the weekend was that of a  29-year-old woman who went missing after a crash nearby.

Stephanie Bronagh

Stephanie Bronagh

Photo Credit: West Milford PD

The body was found Saturday “in heavy brush” near where Stephanie Bronaugh of Lafayette went missing on July 1, Detective Sgt. Joseph Walker said.

"Clothing matching the description of the missing adult female were discovered with the remains," Walker initially said.

On Wednesday, he wrote: "No foul play is suspected and the manner and cause of death are still pending."

A medical examiner was conducting an autopsy, the sergeant said.

Police who responded to the minor July 1 crash off Oak Ridge Road near the Jefferson border found the car, one of Bronaugh's sneakers and her cellphone but not her.

An "exhaustive" but unsuccessful search involved K9 units a State Police helicopter and West Milford's Search & Rescue and Special Operations teams, they said.

A little over a year ago, police in Sparta said they found Bronaugh slumped over the wheel of her 2016 BMW, with 10 wax folds of heroin in the driver's side compartment, as well as a small amount of pot and several prescription pills in the car.

They processed and released her pending court action on drug charges.

Lafayette is 25 miles due east of where the crash occurred and the body was found.

Several agencies assisted West Milford police with the search that turned up the body, Walker said: the Passaic County Sherriff’s Department, NJ State Police, Passaic County Prosecutor's Office, Maywood Police K-9 Remi, West Milford Search and Rescue, Passaic County Search and Rescue and State Park Police Sgt. Barrett Beard and his cadaver K-9, Copper.

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