Body found in quarry as police search for missing Paoli woman

Tredyffrin Township police said Thursday that they had found a body whose clothing and physical attributes matched the description of a Paoli woman missing since Aug. 6.

The body was found in a quarry near Rt. 252 and Chesterbrook Boulevard, Det. Sgt. Todd Bereda said. It was initially spotted by a state police aircraft that was helping search for Irene Chen, 53.

Chen was last seen near her home on Justin Lane in Paoli at around 7 p.m. on Aug. 6. She had been wearing a grey Penn State sweatshirt and dshorts. Police described her as standing 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 110 pounds. Chen has two grown children, Bereda said.

Bereda said that police couldn't confirm whether or not the body found in the quarry was in fact Chen's and were waiting for a formal identification from the coroner.  The agency does not suspect foul play, he said.

"It's a tragedy whenever life is lost for any reason," Bereda said.