NEW MILFORD — The body of a 68-year-old woman considered missing for months was found beneath a pile of debris inside her Main Street apartment over the weekend, police said.

Alice Klee hadn't been seen since Feb. 8 when police began investigating her disappearance earlier this year. Neighbors described her as "reclusive," and she was known to feed stray animals such as cats and birds, Police Chief Frank Papapietro said at the time.

Police said in March that an initial search of her apartment turned up her wallet, cell phone and keys, and the apartment was in disarray, with several cats found starving and one dead inside.

Her car remained in the driveway, and police were forced to "sit back and wait," Papapietro said.

As weeks dragged into months, Klee's landlord obtained permission to clear out her apartment. He was cleaning it on Friday when he discovered her body.

"He located the body under a pile of trash, clothing and blankets between the bed and window," Papapietro said Monday.

The Bergen County Medical Examiner's office confirmed that the body was Klee and that she had died of natural causes. Police do not suspect any criminal activity, Papapietro said.

This post was updated at 1:01 p.m. to include the results of an autopsy.