Body Found in Lake Parsippany ID'd as Missing Parsippany Woman

Authorities have identified the body pulled from Lake Parsippany Monday morning as a 31-year-old township woman who went missing more than two months ago.

was identified Tuesday as the body pulled from Lake Parsippany Monday morning off Bogota Road near Lake Shore Drive, the Morris County Prosecutor's Office said.

According to a statement released Tuesday afternoon by Capt. Jeffrey Paul, spokesman for Prosecutor Robert A. Bianchi, foul play is not suspected in the incident. An autopsy conducted Tuesday revealed the cause of death was drowning and hypothermia was a contributor, the prosecutor's office said.

The body was found after a retired Parsippany police officer who lives nearby reported to law enforcement officials on Monday at 9 a.m. that a body had been discovered in the lake, the prosecutor's office said.

Conte, 31, had stepped outside of her mother's Colonial Heights apartment for a cigarette on Dec. 22 at about 2:30 p.m., and had been missing ever since.

Police said she left the house with no cell phone or money and was last seen that day by friends on Lake Shore Drive and Dorothy Drive. Two weeks later, there were

Shannon Cullinan saw Conte's Monday morning, a few days after she heard helicopters overhead when the lake was frozen.

Cullinan was a few years behind Conte at Parsippany Hills High School and had mutual friends.

She said Conte had a 1-year-old child, but she didn't know much about her life since graduation.

"She was very nice,'' Cullinan said. "But she was protective.''

Conte was tough, and didn't lead a sheltered life, but she was kind, Cullinan said.

"It's horrible," she said. "I just hope there's some closure for her family now."

By early evening Tuesday, the grass near the lake where Conte's body was found was set with a make-shift memorial with candles, matches and cards reading, "We love you Lauren'' in blue magic marker, illustrated by a heart with wings.