A beloved Baton Rouge activist and founder of African American Museum discovered dead in the trunk of her car

• A beloved Baton Rouge-based activist and community leader was found dead in the trunk of her car.

• The body of Sadie Roberts-Joseph, 75, was found Friday but the cause of her death is reportedly still unknown.

• Various community authorities and cultural groups reacted online, calling her a "treasure to the community" and an "icon."
• Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.

A beloved Baton Rouge-based activist and community leader was found dead Friday in the trunk of her car, local outlet WBRZ reported.

The body of Sadie Roberts-Joseph, 75, was found Friday but the cause of her death is reportedly still unknown. It wasn't immediately clear what led to her body being found in the car about 3 miles from her home, Baton Rouge's WAFB reported.

The Baton Rouge Police Department called Roberts-Joseph a "treasure to the community" in a statement on her death posted on Facebook.

The department also said she was "a tireless advocate of peace in the community," where she reportedly founded the Odell S. Williams Now and Then African American Museum in Baton Rouge in 2001.

"Ms. Sadie was a tireless advocate of peace in the community," the statement said. "We had opportunities to work with her on so many levels. From assisting with her bicycle give away at the African American Museum to working with the organization she started called CADAV (Community Against Drugs and Violence). Ms. Sadie is a treasure to our community, she will be missed by BRPD and her loss will be felt in the community she served."

Community Against Drugs and Violence is a nonprofit dedicated to creating a safer environment for children in Baton Rouge.

The NAACP's Baton Rouge branch also posted in Roberts-Joseph's memory.

"We lost a Cultural Legend Yesterday! #RIP Sadie Roberts Joseph," the post said. "From reviving Juneteenth, to the Culture preserved at Her Museum, she was a trendsetter and icon in this City."

Read more:

A JetBlue flight was evacuated after someone mass-AirDropped a suicide vest picture to other passengers, according to reports

Egypt is opening up its 4,600-year-old 'bent' pyramid and letting people go deep inside its chambers

The next 007 will reportedly be 'Captain Marvel' star Lashana Lynch, who will be the first-ever black female to take the 'James Bond' role

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: These ski attachments make it easier for wheelchairs to travel on snow