Medical Examiner rules death a drowning, victim's name withheld pending notification
By JAMES EIK
Staff Reporter
Spokane County Sheriff's deputies are investigating after a body was found in Medical Lake at Waterfront Park the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 4.
A city worker discovered the body of a 36-year-old woman about 15 feet out from the Waterfront Park beach earlier in the morning and notified authorities.
Officers' attempts to revive the woman at the scene were unsuccessful before medics arrived and pronounced her dead. Major crimes detectives were later called to the scene for investigation.
No visible signs of trauma were present on the body, but deputies are treating the death as a homicide until more information is available.
Public information officer Craig Chamberlain said the woman was found wearing a tank top and shorts, and had a duffle bag nearby with personal effects. Reports of missing persons weren't made Tuesday morning.
After processing the scene deputies released the body to the Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy. In a press release issued late Tuesday afternoon the Medical Examiner's Office concluded that the cause of death was drowning. The victim's name will be released pending next of kin.
Information obtained from the autopsy will be released in the coming weeks. Further information will be published once it's made available by the Sheriff's Office.
James Eik can be reached at james@cheneyfreepress.com.
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