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Young woman dead in supermarket car park for three months before being found

Supermarket employees ignored a vehicle thought abandoned for three months, where a young woman was laying dead inside.

Lauren Jessie Moss was reported missing from a rehab facility on November 13 last year, but it wasn’t until January 6 that her body was found.

The body of the 22-year-old was spotted inside her silver 2003 Volkswagen Jetta, which had been in parked a Californian Walmart car park since the end of last year.

A Walmart employee noticed the vehicle had been in the same spot for days and alerted police.

The Volkswagen’s tinted glass and a sunshade over the windscreen made it difficult for passers-by to see into the vehicle, police said.

Walmart employees initially thought the car parked was forgotten by its owner. Picture: Reuters
Walmart employees initially thought the car parked was forgotten by its owner. Picture: Reuters

The supermarket's security camera footage only went back to the end of December, and the car was already parked in the earliest recorded clip, indicating it had been there for months.

Ms Moss' sister told The Sun Lauren left a suicide note behind for family and a drug needle was found in the vehicle.

Police have performed an autopsy, but a cause of death has yet to be determined, although suicide is suspected.

If you are concerned about the mental health of yourself or a loved one, seek support and information by calling Lifeline 13 11 14, Mensline 1300 789 978, or Kids Helpline 1800 551 800