Name of Woman Found Dead in Rochester School Parking Lot Released

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Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Rochester Police Department this afternoon released the name of the young woman whose body was discovered yesterday on the grounds of a local elementary school.

Mercedez Christiana Rocha was 22 years old and was from Northfield. The cause of her death remains under investigation. A news release says there were no obvious signs of trauma on her body that could have resulted in her death and there is no immediate threat to the public.

It is believed Rocha's body had been covered by snow for several weeks. The remains were discovered late Wednesday afternoon by a person walking their dog past a melting snow pile in the parking lot at Gage Elementary School.

Rochester police were contacted by the Northfield Police Department on January 30th to conduct a welfare check on Rocha. She did not have a known address, but Northfield police reported that her cell phone had pinged in northwest Rochester. A search was conducted, but no sign of the missing woman was found at the time. The Northfield Police Department then issued a request for the public's help in the search.