LAKELAND, FL – Polk County Sheriff’s Office investigators believe they may have identified the circumstances surrounding a death investigation that began Thursday after human remains were discovered in a wooded area near Fish Hatchery Road and Morgan Combee Road in Lakeland.
Detectives have located additional remains at a nearby residence and now believe the deceased is a 70-year-old woman. The woman was known to be a hoarder and had been the subject of a well-being check on April 1, during which deputies found her safe. She was later seen confronting neighbors and telling them to mind their own business, according to Sheriff Grady Judd. Investigators believe that encounter was the last time anyone saw her alive.
Based on preliminary findings, detectives believe the woman suffered a medical emergency near the rear of her home and died outside the residence. Over time, wildlife activity is believed to have scattered the remains, ultimately leading to their discovery in the wooded area. The woman’s next of kin has been notified.
Detectives continue processing the scene and documenting conditions at the residence. Authorities are working to confirm all circumstances surrounding the death. Nothing further at this time.
SOURCE: POLK COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
