Search intensifies for California mother who went missing for a week

PALOMAR STATE PARK, Calif. (NBC, KYMA) - The search is intensifying for an Oceanside, California mother of two missing for a week.

44-year-old Angelica Brophy's car was found on Palomar Mountain Thursday, but she wasn't there. While police say there's no sign of foul play, Brophy's family knows something isn't right.

Search and rescue divers were at Doane Pond in Palomar State Park Monday looking for any clues as to Brophy's whereabouts.

"She loves life and we really just need her back, we really do need her back," said Lisa Fabregas, Brophy's sister-in-law.

Family members say the mother of two loved hiking, but she loved her family more, and would never leave them waiting and wondering if she'd ever come home.

"She is one of the most wonderful, thoughtful women that I know. She's a very good mom," Fabregas expressed.

Brophy was last seen last Monday leaving Harrah's Casino. The Oceanside Police Department tried to ping her phone two days later, but it was turned off. Three days later, her car was found at Palomar Mountain.

"It's hard to land on an idea of what could have happened, foul play or accident, or who-knows-what," said Manny Fabregas, Brophy's brother. "It's just we have nothing to work with other than we found her car, her stuff in it, and just that. And we can only assume, but it's hard to go from there."

Family and friends have covered much of the North County with missing posters, and there's also a social media push to bring Brophy home, hopefully unharmed.

"I don't want to speculate too much. I don't want to go there. I don't want to go to that dark of a place until we actually have to," said Martin Fabregas, Brophy's other brother.

Family members say Brophy knows the trails at Palomar well.

"She would hike by herself, she would hike with some friends, She loved hiking. She would take her kids sometimes," Martin explained.

She's also a runner, so she's in good shape to handle whatever obstacle she may have met on the mountain. Family says she's a survivor.

"She's a very driven person. When she sets her sights on one thing, that's what she does," Martin remarked.

Her family is trying to stay positive, sharing happy memories and looking forward to making new ones.

"Every time I see a photo of my sister, she has a great smile, just a very genuine smile," Manny said.

OPD says they've contacted the casino to see if anyone was with Brophy, or if she won a large amount of money and someone followed her intending to steal it, but at this point, there are no signs of foul play.