A body found in a Louisiana bayou has been positively identified as teacher Terrilynn Monette, according to CNN.
According to reports, dental records provided the positive ID after Monette's decomposed body was found inside her submerged car.
"To know that she could have possibly been there for three months," Toni Enclade, Monette's mother, told CNN. "I can't even begin to go there right now. I'm in shock. I can't believe this. I just can't believe this."
The 26-year-old educator was last seen celebrating a nomination for the "Teacher Of The Year" award at Parlay's Dream Lounge. Authorities conducted an extensive search and family and friend's of Monette reportedly began a Facebook page and put up a billboard to encourage others to contact them with any information regarding the educator's whereabouts.
According to the Huffington Post, Enclade suspects the car was overlooked during the initial investigation.
"I don't understand why it took them so long to find her car," Enclade told The Times-Picayune. "This is supposedly one of the first places they would have checked. I'm just overwhelmed. It doesn't make sense."
It's unclear how Monette's car ended up in the bayou. No reports of possible suspects have been made.
"Now that Ms.Monette's car has been found, we begin the second phase of this investigation," Ronal Serpas, a New Orleans Police Superintendent, said in a statement. "Both homicide detectives and our fatality unit were on the scene today, so that they can pick up where (other) officers have left off and start finding out exactly how and why the car ended up where it did."
Family and friends reportedly told The Times-Picayune that they had faith Monette would return home alive but now seek closure in finding out exactly what happened.
