BURLINGTON, NC — Officials believe they have found the remains of a missing woman caught on camera getting into a dumpster but never getting out before the dumpster was serviced.
On New Years Eve, at 11:56 am Burlington Police officers responded to the Alamance Crossing shopping center located at 1477 Boone Station Drive concerning a missing person case involving Stephanie Cox, 30 years of age from Burlington, NC. Cox was originally reported missing to the Greensboro Police Department on January 30, 2020. Cox was reported by family to have last been seen in Greensboro.
At 12:30 pm on January 30, 2020 Cox vehicle was reported unattended and located in a service drive behind a row of businesses at Alamance Crossing. Burlington Police Department checked the vehicle to determine if it was stolen and determined that it had not been reported stolen. On that same day at 7:58 pm Stephanie Cox was reported missing to the Greensboro Police Department by family.
Cox is believed to have been attempting to collect items from a dumpster alone shortly after midnight on Thursday January 30th, 2020. It is believed that Cox did not exit the dumpster prior to it being serviced at 1:47 am.
Video evidence shows that Cox arrived at the Five Below on alone. A review of all associated video never shows others on the property until the truck arrived to service the dumpster.
On Monday, around 5:00 PM, remains believed to be Cox were located at Unharrie Environmental in Montgomery County. The Montgomery County Sheriffs Office will work with the local medical examiner and the State’s Medical Examiners Office on positive identification.
This case brings to light the dangers associated with collections from dumpsters. The commonly known practice of “dumpster diving” is not safe, police say.
