Florida police were dispatched to investigate a report of a person trapped inside a clothing donation drop box, but what they discovered was far worse.
According to the Plantation Police Department (PPD), officers responded to a report of a “person stuck” inside a donation bin on the 8300 block of West Federated Roadway on Friday morning. A teacher who works near the box discovered it around 6:45 a.m. local time, according to NBC Miami.
When PPD officers arrived at the roadside box — a large, pink container labelled “clothes & shoes donation centre” in all capital letters, according to footage shared by CBS Miami — they discovered the person had died.
The deceased was discovered “partially stuck in the donation box,” according to PPD.
It is unclear whether the woman’s death was intentional or accidental, but authorities suspect the latter.
“At this time,” the police department responded, “it looks like this incident is an accident, but our detective bureau is conducting a full investigation.”
The woman has not yet been identified, and the PPD says her name “will be released at a later time, pending notification of the next of kin.”
The PPD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Saturday, June 28.
According to NBC Miami and Fox affiliate WSVN, the woman was middle-aged and homeless, and she may have died as a result of asphyxiation while trying to retrieve items from the box.
The official cause of death has not yet been revealed.
“I have dropped clothes off in that bin, and the opening is super small,” a woman who works near the drop box told CBS Miami. “It is kind of like at the post office when you put a package in, so I can not imagine anyone being able to get in there.”
“It is sad that someone was just trying to get some new clothes,” she Said.
