PANTEGO — Beaufort County sheriff’s deputies recovered a body Sunday believed to be that of a missing woman from Wilmington.

Deborah “Lynn” Cavanaugh-Blades, 61, went missing July 29, after she drove off in a 2012 white Chevy Equinox. Authorities and family members said she had a medical condition that may have left her confused and/or disoriented.

“As some of you know, my wife has been battling an illness from a medical situation since Oct. 2016. Yesterday she left in my car while I was asleep and since has been reported a Missing Person,” husband Peter Blades wrote in a Facebook message July 31. “Do not walk up to the car in that it might cause her to drive away. She is not on her medication.”

According to authorities, a Pantego resident called in Sunday about a suspicious vehicle parked off of Wonderland Road. Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Charlie Rose confirmed that a body was found near the vehicle matching the description in the missing persons report.

BCSO declined to comment further on the incident.

Cavanaugh-Blades graduated from Rocky Mount High School and went on to study English literature at East Carolina University. She was a teacher for 24 years and published the novel “Your Hand in Mine, We Will Go” in November 2014.

On Sunday night, Cavanaugh-Blades’ daughter Summer wrote the following Facebook post: “Lynn knew she was going to be with Jesus as well and knew she was a child of God. We just want to thank EVERY SINGLE PERSON that had been with us on this journey. Thank you for everything you’ve done. Now it’s time to continue God’s work until our time has come and we reach the Kingdom of Heaven. We love you and adore you, Lynn. You will always be our best friend. You will reside in our hearts forever.”

There is no word yet on the cause of Cavanaugh-Blades’ death, although authorities do not believe foul play was involved.