Woman's Body Found in California Dumpster Believed to Be Missing 75-Year-Old
An investigation is underway after the body of a 75-year-old woman was found in a trash receptacle in a park in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies originally responded to reports of a stolen vehicle, which the owner said went missing along with a 75-year-old family member.
"Preliminary information revealed foul play at the location and a stolen vehicle/missing persons investigation was initiated," the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a statement, without clarifying further.
On Monday morning, the vehicle was located in the city of Rosemead, along with a male adult who is the son of the missing elderly female.
At about 6:30 a.m. in the 2500 block of Santa Ana Street in Huntington Park, deputies found the body of a woman inside a trash receptacle, which is believed to be the 75-year-old. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The woman has not been identified, nor has a cause of death. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said a person of interest has been detained pending further investigation.
"We suspect, obviously, that he was involved," Lt. Charles Calderaro told KTLA about the person of interest. "There was signs and evidence of foul play at this location so he is at this point a person of interest, but he is not free to leave. Detectives are conducting interviews with potential witnesses and processing evidence at this time."
The cause of death for the 75-year-old will be determined by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has been contacted for further comment.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
Last month, a woman who had been missing in Florida for three weeks was found trapped and naked in a storm drain.
The woman had been reported missing to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office on March 3, but was later rescued on March 23 after passersby heard her yelling for help.
"She was lucky. I don't know how much longer she would have been OK down there," Delray Beach Fire Rescue spokesperson Dani Moschella.
"The idea that somebody might be down there for any length of time is disturbing. It's dirty, dangerous, there are snakes, rats, garbage, dirt and leaves, anything that's on the street that washes into a sewer, and it smells terrible."
