WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - A Winter Haven woman who reportedly liked to feed the horses in a field was found dead on Thursday afternoon.
According to the Winter Haven Police Department, someone called 911 shortly before 2 p.m. and said there appeared to be a person in the middle of a field next to the Lucerne Lakeside Mobile Home Park on Lucerne Park Rd.
What we know:
When officers arrived, they said they saw a body lying in the field with two horses nearby.
Officers jumped the fence and found an elderly woman unresponsive on the ground.
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They said the woman had visible injuries to her face and torso.
Police began life-saving measures and crews with Winter Haven Fire and Polk County EMS took her to an area hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Dig deeper:
An autopsy and initial findings show that the woman died from blunt-force trauma to her body, with the injuries consistent with being trampled by a large animal, such as a horse.
Investigators said that residents of a neighboring mobile home park told them that the woman lived there and often fed the horses in the field.
Police contacted the owner of the horses and said they showed up at the scene and are cooperating with the investigation.
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According to WHPD, investigators do not believe there was foul play involved and classified the death as a ‘terrible, tragic accident."
The woman’s next of kin were notified of her death, though her identity was not made public by police.
What they're saying:
"Our hearts go out to the family and friends of this beloved woman who cared so much to interact and feed these horses," said Police Chief Vance Monroe.
"This was a terribly tragic accident, and we will pray for those she has left behind."
The Source: This article was written with information provided in a press release from the Winter Haven Police Department.