The body of Bernadine Waters Gunner, a mother who went missing from Camden, NJ in 2010, was recently discovered in a mud-covered car pulled from the Cooper River. Gunner had told her family she planned to take her own life because she couldn’t find a job at the time she disappeared. The search for Gunner went cold until the nonprofit organization United Search Corps found her car and remains in the river last week. Gunner’s daughter expressed gratitude for the closure and criticized local law enforcement for their handling of the case.
While authorities have not yet confirmed the identity of the remains found in the car, the search group is confident that they belong to Gunner. The vehicle registration and some of Gunner’s belongings were found inside the car, matching her 2006 Hyundai Elantra. The search group used sonar equipment to locate the vehicle in the river. Gunner’s daughter expressed her gratitude towards the search group for finding her mother and providing the family with answers after 14 years of uncertainty.
The family reacted with a mix of grief and relief when they were informed of the discovery of Gunner’s remains in the river. The search group described the family as humble and grateful, indicating that the burden of not knowing what happened to Gunner for over a decade had been lifted. An investigation has been launched by the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office and Pennsauken Police Department after three vehicles, including Gunner’s, were pulled from the river. DNA testing still needs to be conducted on the remains to confirm the identity of the deceased individual.
The discovery of Gunner’s body in the Cooper River brought closure to her family, who had been searching for answers for 14 years. Gunner’s daughter expressed gratitude for the search group for locating her mother’s car and remains, criticizing local law enforcement for their handling of the case. The search group is confident that the human remains found in the car belong to Gunner, as the vehicle registration and some of her belongings were still inside. The family responded with a mix of emotions, including grief and relief, upon learning of the discovery of Gunner’s remains.
The authorities have not yet confirmed the identity of the remains and they are still subject to DNA testing for verification. It is unclear how long the vehicles had been submerged in the river, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding Gunner’s disappearance and how long she had been in the water. The family can now give Gunner a proper burial and begin to process their grief knowing that she has been found after all these years. The search for answers in Gunner’s disappearance has finally come to an end with the discovery of her body in the Cooper River.
