Joanna Brown, who had not been seen since leaving her shift at a bakery in Worcester last Friday, has been found dead, police said Tuesday. They confirmed her body was discovered in a car Monday night.

Brown was last been seen Friday around 9 a.m. at the Bean Counter Bakery, where she was a beloved employee. Police said she left her shift, saying that she had something personal to take care of.

"We miss her terribly. She's like the backbone of the business with the customers," Bean Counter owner Alice Lombardi said.

Brown never came back. She didn't return to work or contact family or friends, which they said was unlike her. Her family reported her missing Sunday. Worcester Police asked for the public's help finding her Monday, saying they had a "heightened concern" for her safety.

Around 4 p.m. Monday, police said they found Brown dead in a gray Mitsubishi Outlander parked at the Green Hill Towers apartment complex on Mount Vernon Street. Investigators have not yet said how she died or who owned the car.

There have been no arrests at this point in the investigation.

"At this time the circumstances around the death of Ms. Brown are being actively investigated by the Worcester County District Attorney's Office and members of the Worcester Police Detective Bureau," police said in a statement Tuesday.

Anyone with information is urged to call Worcester police at 508-799-8651 or text TIPWPD to CRIMES (274637).

A man named Eddie said he was a regular customer of Brown's at the bakery.

"She was caring, she was a good person, she always looked out for people. She made good egg sandwiches," he said. "She was always perky. We would laugh, we would joke ... I can't believe it. I really can't believe it.