Home Scandal and Gossip Body of North Carolina woman dumpster diving found in landfill: common pastime

Body of North Carolina woman dumpster diving found in landfill: common pastime

SHARE
Stephanie Cox dumpster diving
Stephanie Cox dumpster diving death
Stephanie Cox dumpster diving
Stephanie Cox dumpster diving death

Stephanie Cox missing Burlington North Carolina remains found after going dumpster diving in early morning hours behind clothing store. 

The remains of a missing North Carolina woman who was last seen late last month entering a trash can has been found in a landfill after she’d gone dumpster diving.

In a social media post, Burlington police announced the discovery of Stephanie Cox’s body on Monday at a landfill at Uwharrie Environmental in Montgomery County.

The Burlington woman’s death is thought to have come about after Cox ‘climbed’ into a a trash container behind a Five Below store, part of the Alamance Crossing strip mall, to look for reusable items, a feat known as ‘dumpster diving.’

Posted Burlington Police in part: ‘At this time officers believe that the remains of Ms. Cox were likely transferred to Uwharrie Environmental in Montgomery County, North Carolina. The processing center at Uwharrie Environmental is cooperating fully.’

‘This case brings to light the dangers associated with collections from dumpsters,’ police continued in the release. ‘The commonly known practice of ‘dumpster diving’ is not safe.’

Police said Cox’s family confirmed it was common for her to collect things from trash containers.

Stephanie Cox dumpster diving
Stephanie Cox dumpster diving. Image via social media.

‘[Stephanie] had the best sense of humor & was always there with positive encouragement when her friends needed her,’

Police said video evidence showed Cox was alone when she went into the dumpster behind a clothing store on Jan. 30. just after midnight. 

No one else was seen in the area until a truck came to service the trash container just on 1.45. a.m police said. 

Cox’s vehicle was discovered unattended behind a row of businesses at the shopping center around 12:30 p.m. that day, police said. Her family reported her missing to the Greensboro Police Department just before 8 that evening.

Once it was determined that the remains had been taken to a processing center in Montgomery County, a search party had been deployed Tuesday to search for Cox.

Poor weather conditions had halted the search for Cox since Thursday — but when investigators resumed the search Monday, they found remains believed to be hers around 5 p.m. at Uwharrie Environmental, a landfill in Montgomery County where police believe the contents of that dumpster were taken.

A medical examiner will determine a positive identification of the remains, police said.

‘[Stephanie] had the best sense of humor & was always there with positive encouragement when her friends needed her,’ a friend wrote on a GoFundMe page to help pay for Cox’s funeral expenses.

SHARE