Missing Kansas woman found dead in flooded vehicle

Hazel Phillips, 78, who was last seen on Tuesday and reported missing on Wednesday, was found dead in her car south of Paola.

On Thursday, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation issued a “Silver Alert” for Phillips seeking the public’s help locating her. She planned to travel to Drexel, Missouri, on Wednesday, but she did not make it, her family told police.

Investigators said Phillips was likely in a silver 2008 Chevy Malibu and that she had medical conditions that could be a safety concern for her. Her suspected location was Paola or Osawatomie.

On Friday, as water-levels dropped in a flooded area south of Paola, a roof of a silver passenger car became visible. The Osawatomie Fire Department removed a Chevy Malibu from the flood water. Inside the car, Phillips was dead, officials said.

Her cause of death is still under investigation, a news release from Miami County Sheriff’s Office said on Friday.