Missing mom found dead; coroner rules out foul play

A missing Chester County mother was found dead yesterday, authorities said, three days after she was last seen.

The details surrounding the death were unclear.

Authorities found the body of Kimberly Cox Twaddell, 41, of Timberline Drive near Shenkel Road in Pottstown, about 10:30 a.m. yesterday - two days after a search for her began. She was pronounced dead at noon.

Robert Satriale, the Chester County coroner, said foul play was not suspected, but refused to say where Twaddell, 41, was found or to disclose the cause of death, saying the matter was still under investigation.

Reached last night at Twaddell's home, where she lived with her husband, Mark, and their two young daughters, Twaddell's younger sister, Nicole Cox, declined to comment.

Robin Helverson, a family friend who spoke on behalf of the grieving family, read the following statement:

"Thank you everyone for your thoughts, prayers and search efforts. Kim Twaddell has been found. She is no longer with us. Please respect the family's privacy at this time."

Authorities said Twaddell was last seen on Thursday leaving her North Coventry Township home for work at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center, where she was a nursing assistant.

She never arrived, and authorities were notified the following day.

Pleas from family and friends, including actress Kirstie Alley, to help in Twaddell's search had circulated on the online social network Twitter since Saturday.

Alley had offered a $25,000 reward to anyone with information regarding Twaddell's whereabouts.

About 1 p.m. yesterday, Alley posted the news of Twaddell's death.

"Sadly, our friend Kim was found but she was not alive. . . . Thank u all for your help. . . . Love to her friends & family."

About an hour later, Alley posted another message to her more than 80,000 Twitter followers:

"Lets flourish in our own lives . . . And help others. Always the best tribute to another persons life . . . "