The remains of a missing woman were found in a wooded area of Missouri nearly six months after she went missing, prompting authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death.

Emily Strite, 33, had not been seen since April when she disappeared from Imperial, a suburb of St. Louis near De Soto, according to a statement from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Law enforcement discovered Strite’s body in a forested area in De Soto after receiving a report from a local property owner regarding skeletal remains.

The Regional Medical Examiners conducted comparisons of medical and dental records to confirm that the remains were indeed Strite’s. The cause of her death remains unclear, and investigators are currently trying to piece together how her body was located in that area, as stated in the press release.

Here are the details surrounding Strite’s disappearance.

Emily Strite’s Mom Had Not Communicated with Her Since April 12

Charlyn McClain, Strite’s mother, revealed to NBC’s Dateline that she hadn’t been in contact with her daughter since April 12. Strite had gone to stay with a friend in De Soto after visiting her children across the Missouri border in Cahokia, Illinois, according to McClain.

McClain started to worry when она received a call from Strite’s children’s father, Steve Fults, about a week later, asking if she had heard from Emily.

“He has never called me and questioned anything about Emily or to tell me anything about Emily,” McClain said, according to NBC News. “That’s why I panicked when he called me because he had never done that before.”

Following Fults’ call, McClain quickly filed a missing person report with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

‘I’m Eager for Answers’

The last confirmed sighting of Strite was on the morning of April 12, when she was seen leaving the De Soto area on foot, reportedly of her own accord, as reported by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in a Facebook update on April 25.

Christi Bauman, who identified herself as Strite’s best friend, told KSDK that it was out of character for Strite not to reach out to anyone for days.

“It wasn’t like her to never contact somebody for usually three to five days, especially her mom,” Bauman expressed, according to KSDK. “When she hadn’t contacted her mom, I had a gut feeling something was off. I just knew in my gut that something was wrong.”

After learning of her daughter’s passing, McClain spoke to KSDK.

“I had hope, but as a mother, I really knew she wasn’t here. She never not called me,” McClain said, according to the St. Louis-based TV station. “Now new questions arise, and I am waiting for answers.”

‘She was Bright, Funny, and Larger Than Life’

Jessica Strite, Emily Strite’s sister, resides in Canada, but her thoughts and efforts are concentrated on Jefferson County.

“I want justice for her,” Jessica Strite told KSDK.

She also shared more about her sister, stating she feels she is “coming home.”

“She was bright, funny, and brought so much energy to any room. She had a cheerful disposition, a big smile, and a loud voice to match,” Jessica Strite recalled. “We won’t stop searching for answers, and we won’t stop pursuing the truth and justice for my sister.”