Body found near site of Calif. nurse’s disappearance likely not her, police say

Human remains discovered at Palomar Mountain State Park are not believed to belong to a Californian nurse who vanished in the same area more than a month ago, authorities said Thursday.

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A volunteer search and rescue team found the remains in an embankment at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, near the 33000 block of South Grade Road in Pauma Valley, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office. The winding road leads up Palomar Mountain, where investigators say 44-year-old Angelica Brophy entered the state park on July 6.

Authorities have not said how long the remains may have been at the location. The county medical examiner is expected to determine the cause and manner of death. The sheriff’s homicide unit has taken over the investigation. 

Lt. Juan Marquez of the San Diego Sheriff’s Office told SFGATE that there was “likely no connection” between the remains and Brophy’s disappearance. He also said the county medical examiner will determine the cause of death, but cautioned that its official report could take months.

“At this time, the remains are not believed to be Oceanside missing person Angelica Brophy,” the Sheriff’s Office said in its initial statement Thursday. Investigators said there was “no known threat to the community.”

Brophy, an emergency room nurse and mother of two, was reported missing to Oceanside police at about 9:30 p.m. July 6 after she failed to arrive for an overnight shift at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in San Marcos.

Investigators determined that Brophy had been at Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Valley Center at approximately 3:30 p.m. that day. About 50 minutes later, she bought a parking pass and entered Palomar Mountain State Park alone, according to Oceanside police. On Wednesday, July 8, detectives attempted to ping Brophy’s phone, according to a website created to support the search, but it was powered off or dead. Her car was discovered in a parking lot inside the park July 9, but Brophy was nowhere to be found. Search teams spent six days searching the park using dogs, drones and dive teams. The effort involved Oceanside police, California State Parks, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team and the Port of San Diego Harbor Police Dive Team, among others, the police department said.

Investigators examined Brophy’s vehicle and returned it to her family last week, NBC 7 San Diego reported. No evidence of foul play had been found, but detectives continued pursuing multiple leads and revisiting the mountain as needed, the department said.

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On the website, Brophy’s family describes her as a devoted wife and mother, a compassionate emergency room nurse, and an experienced hiker, runner and traveler. They said she is known for her sense of humor, “infectious smile and unmistakable laugh,” and that she often visited Palomar Mountain State Park to walk its trails.

Brophy’s five brothers have also organized searches on private properties bordering the park. Her brother Ramon Fabregas told NBC7 that the absence of any apparent trace of his sister had been particularly difficult for her children.

“We just need one phone call, one overheard conversation, that would help us find my sister,” Fabregas said.

The Sheriff’s Office said it is coordinating with Oceanside police, who remain in contact with Brophy’s family. 

Anyone with information about the remains can contact the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office at 858-285-6330. Information about Brophy’s disappearance can be provided to Oceanside Police Det. Ryan Malone at 760-435-4537.

This news story has been updated.