Investigators looking into the disappearance of a Jewish student from New York are to carry out an autopsy on a female body found in a lake 50 miles from where she went missing.

Lauren Spierer was last seen on June 20 on the campus of Indiana University, where she was studying.

Her family has vowed not to stop looking for the 20-year-old and thousands of people have joined search parties.

On Monday, a severely decomposed body was found in water north of Indianapolis and it was announced that forensic tests would be carried out to determine the woman's identity.

Ms Spierer's mother Charlene said last month that she could not cope with not knowing what had happened to her daughter. "Information is the most valuable thing we need right now," she said.