Missing NJ Woman Discovered in Submerged Car

A missing person case that spanned six years came to a tragic conclusion in 2020 when the body of Vanessa Smallwood was discovered in a submerged vehicle in the Salem River. Smallwood, who had been missing since January 2014, was last seen at a Cherry Hill dry cleaner’s store. Her case, once a mystery, was finally solved after divers stumbled upon her van during a routine cleanup.

6 Years of Unanswered Questions

Vanessa Smallwood, 52, disappeared on Jan. 27, 2014, leaving behind few clues. She was last seen driving her 2005 Chrysler Town and Country van and had no further activity on her debit or credit cards. Her cellphone recorded its last ping around Clayton, New Jersey, but after that, her trail went cold. Despite efforts by law enforcement and family members, no significant breakthroughs were made.

An Underwater Discovery

On Jan. 16, 2020, the routine removal of debris in the Salem River led to the discovery of a submerged vehicle. Divers from the Walker Diving Underwater Construction Company found a car, and what they believed to be human remained inside it. The vehicle and body were later confirmed as belonging to Smallwood, bringing an unexpected end to the years-long mystery.

The Investigation

Once the body was recovered, the Southern Regional Coroner’s Office took charge of the autopsy. Though the cause of death was not immediately determined, officials ruled out foul play after an initial examination. According to the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office, nothing indicated any criminal involvement in Smallwood’s death.

An Unsolved Question

Although Smallwood’s body was found, the circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear. What happened to her after she left the dry cleaner’s store? How did her car end up in the river? While foul play has been ruled out, the puzzle of what exactly occurred that day in 2014 lingers in the minds of her family and investigators.

Six years of searching led to the discovery of Vanessa Smallwood, but the answers to what happened during those years remain submerged, much like the van that kept her hidden.

References: The body of a woman missing for 6 years was found in a car submerged in a New Jersey river | Woman’s body found in submerged car years after mysterious disappearance