A missing Missouri college student who disappeared during an extended spring break trip home was found dead on Saturday in Illinois, near where her abandoned car had been discovered.
Melissa Oelke, 21, was reported missing on Thursday after she left her St. Peters, Mo. home without her phone at around 7:30 a.m. that same day, the St. Peters Police Department said.
Oelke, a student at the private art College of Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan, had been home for spring break at the time of her disappearance, her father, Gerald Oelke, told the Belleville News-Democrat.
Gerald Oelke revealed to the outlet that his daughter had been stressed out over her recent midterms and extended her spring break to focus on her mental health.
After leaving her residence Thursday morning, Oelke drove around and made several stops, including at a Target in her hometown, a grocery store and a Walgreens, the outlet reported.
Oelke’s car was later found abandoned on the side of a rural road outside of St. Jacob, Illinois, approximately 60 miles east of her home.
Police swarmed the rural roadway where Oelke’s empty car was discovered stuck in an embankment near a creek, according to photos obtained by the outlet.
A dashcam inside the car had been removed before the vehicle was found, Gerald Oelke said.
Oelke had “several medical conditions that require attention,” creating a more urgent search for officials concerned for the missing student’s well-being.
Illinois emergency officials launched a search of the area looking for Oelke, using drones and K-9 units.
Officials revealed Oelke was found dead on Saturday in Madison County, Illinois, the same county her car had been discovered the day before.
A cause of death has not been released, but officials have ruled out foul play and believe there is no threat to the public, KMOV reported.
“We ask that you keep her family in your thoughts during this difficult time. Thank you to everyone who shared this post and offered your prayers,” the St. Peters Police Department said.
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