Search continues on Palomar Mountain as family seeks leads
Family members and volunteers in Oceanside are continuing searches for Angelica Brophy, a 44-year-old registered nurse and mother who has been missing since July 6. Authorities and the family say her car was located three days after she was reported missing in a parking area near the Doane Pond trailhead in Palomar Mountain State Park, and multiple formal search operations yielded no sign of her.
Detectives with the Oceanside Police Department attempted to ping Brophy’s phone but were unable to obtain a location, indicating the device was either powered off or had lost power. According to the family's public information pages, Brophy’s husband, Brent Brophy, used her old phone to view the last known location of her Apple Watch at the trailhead, information that spurred the early search activity.
- Last confirmed sighting: Harrah’s Resort in Valley Center, about 3:30 p.m. on July 6.
- Park entry: Park records show she entered Palomar Mountain State Park roughly 50 minutes later, at about 4:20 p.m.
- Vehicle found: July 9, parked near Doane Pond and the Doane Valley Nature Trail.
State and county search units mobilized within days. Crews from California State Parks, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team and the San Diego Harbor Police Department conducted coordinated searches on foot over multiple days. Dive teams repeatedly searched a pond in the park as part of the effort. Despite those operations between July 9 and July 14, authorities reported they found no sign of Brophy.
“Brophy frequently hiked trails in the state park,”
That detail — her familiarity with area trails — has been emphasized by the family and has helped shape volunteer-led searches that have continued since the official operations wound down. The family has asked residents and visitors who may have been in the Palomar Mountain area on July 6 or who traveled nearby between Valley Center and Palomar Mountain to review personal photos, video or dash-cam footage and to share any information that could help investigators.
| Event | Date/Time |
|---|---|
| Last surveillance sighting (Harrah’s Resort) | July 6, ~3:30 p.m. |
| Park entry (Palomar Mountain State Park) | July 6, ~4:20 p.m. |
| Car located (Doane Pond area) | July 9 |
| Formal search operations | July 9–14 (state and county teams) |
The family has established a public resource at FindAngelicaBrophy.com to centralize information and coordinate volunteer efforts. That site, and family spokespeople, have been the main source of detailed movement and timeline information released so far. Police and search personnel have not reported any new forensic evidence publicly.
For Oceanside residents, the case is a reminder of risks that can accompany solitary recreation in rugged, inland parkland and the importance of safety measures such as telling others planned routes, carrying charged communication devices and using location-sharing tools when hiking alone. It has also prompted a local response: neighbors, friends and volunteers from surrounding communities have organized searches and distributed flyers.
Investigators continue to ask anyone with information — no matter how small — to contact the Oceanside Police Department. Family members say they remain focused on finding Angelica and appreciate the continued community support and tips coming into the effort.
The situation remains active. NEXO RADAR will follow developments and report confirmed updates from law enforcement and the family as they become available.
