PORT HURON (WWJ) - It's a tragic end to a missing persons case after police announced a body pulled from the Black River near Port Huron over the weekend was identified as a woman who disappeared from the area several months ago.
Port Huron Police Assistant Chief Brian Kerrigan said the body was discovered floating near the shoreline by a resident who had gone down to their dock around 5:30 p.m. Sunday along the 2500 block of Strawberry Lane.
"It appeared to have been there for a while, so it was in a state of decomposition," Kerrigan told FOX 2.
Investigators went to work on identifying the body, which they believed was connected to a missing persons case from three months ago.
"When the sheriff’s department responded they contacted us due to suspicion of an investigation we have ongoing from the end of February," the assistant chief said.
Police Sgt. Ryan Sheedy has since confirmed with the Times Herald that the deceased is the missing woman in her 60s from Port Huron -- her name was not been released.
While the case is still under investigation, Kerrigan said they believed the woman was undergoing treatment at a mental health facility in the area. She was free to come and go from the facility, the assistant chief explained, but during the middle of the night in February, the woman reportedly walked away and has not been seen or heard from since.
Police added her family has been notified.
Kerrigan said police did not suspect foul play, but the exact cause of death has yet to been determined by the medical examiner.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to WWJ LIVE for the latest updates.