Missing woman found in downstate Illinois died of hypothermia: coroner

A missing woman who was found dead Friday in downstate Illinois died from cold exposure, according to authorities.

An autopsy performed Saturday found that Brooke Naylor, 20, of Harrisburg, died of hypothermia from environmental cold exposure, Gallatin County Coroner Tony Cox said. Full results were pending toxicology tests.

Her death did not appear suspicious, Cox said.

Police and volunteers searched extensively for Naylor after she went missing with her dog on March 3 in Harrisburg.

Her car was found abandoned sometime during the week on Eldorado Blacktop Road halfway between Illinois Route 142 and Illinois Route 1, police said.

On Friday evening, a search party found Naylor’s body south of Pot Hole Lane in rural Gallatin county, police said. That location is at least 1 1/2 miles from where her car was found.

State police and Naylor’s family thanked volunteers for their time in the “exhaustive search.”

Police have not released additional details since Friday evening when they announced Naylor’s body had been located.