Missing 79-year-old Nevada City woman has been found dead, Sheriff’s Office says

A 79-year-old Nevada City woman who went missing after walking away from her home last week has been found dead, authorities said.

The body of Phyllis Brodie, who was reported missing on Friday, was discovered Sunday afternoon on private property near Banner Mountain Trail in Nevada City, according to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. Brodie’s official cause of death has not been disclosed, pending an autopsy. The Sheriff’s Office, however, said “no suspicious circumstances were observed.”

The Sheriff’s Office initially sent out a Silver Alert about Brodie a little before 10 p.m. Friday. Brodie, who was believed to have dementia, reportedly walked away from her home earlier that morning.

Prior to this search, officials located her several times on foot in the area of Banner Mountain Trail and Grass Valley, where she had previously hitchhiked.

Hundreds of people participated in the search to locate Brodie over the weekend.

“Our heartfelt condolences go out to Phyllis’s family and friends, who have been notified that she was located,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook Sunday. “We appreciate the community support and the assistance of our many allied agencies in the search for Phyllis.”

This story was originally published January 16, 2023 at 1:08 PM.