WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – A Winter Haven woman known for her routine of feeding neighborhood horses was found dead Thursday afternoon in what Winter Haven authorities are calling a heartbreaking accident.
According to investigators, around 1:50 p.m., a 911 caller reported seeing a person lying motionless in a field adjacent to the Lucerne Lakeside Mobile Home Park on Lucerne Park Road. When Winter Haven police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered an elderly woman unresponsive on the ground with two horses nearby.
Officers had to scale the perimeter fence to reach her, immediately beginning life-saving efforts before Polk County EMS and fire personnel arrived to take over medical care.
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The woman was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased. An autopsy conducted by medical examiners concluded that the cause of death was blunt-force trauma. Officials stated that the injuries were consistent with being trampled by a large animal.
During the investigation, neighbors told police that the woman was a familiar face at the pasture, frequently visiting the fence line to interact with and feed the horses. While her identity is being withheld, investigators have confirmed that there were no signs of foul play. The horse owner was located and has been fully cooperative with the police department throughout the inquiry.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of this beloved woman who cared so much to interact and feed these horses,” Police Chief Vance Monroe said in a statement.
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He described the event as a “terribly tragic accident,” noting that the community is mourning the loss of a neighbor who was simply trying to show kindness to animals.
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