TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Tampa police say a woman in her 20s was murdered sometime Monday evening in the New Tampa Subdivision of Easton Park in the 10700 block of Pictorial Park Drive.
Crystal Clark with Tampa Police told 8 on Your Side someone saw a woman on the ground just after 10 p.m. and called 911.
“We were told that there was a woman found lying on the ground next to a vehicle and appeared to be unconscious,” Clark said. “When officers arrived, unfortunately they found that woman was deceased with upper body trauma and inside her vehicle, a Ford Escort, was a toddler sleeping in a car seat.”
The infant was not harmed.
“At this time we are told the toddler is absolutely fine, uninjured and we were able to put the toddler in the care of a relative as we continue with our investigation,” Clark added.
People in the neighborhood were shocked to learn of the news.
“It is a very quiet neighborhood, very safe, this is very strange for something to happen in this place,” said Mohammed Osman who lives nearby.
Richard Theodore lives in a house not far from where the woman’s body was found and said his dogs reacted to a noise around 9 p.m.
“My dogs were outside and we heard them just barking and we didn’t pay mind to it. In fact we didn’t notice until we saw the police officers that something may have happened,” Theodore said.
He added a simple request from his son may have saved his life.
“It happened around 9 p.m., you can go back on the camera and see, my son and I were literally sitting at the table playing cards. It’s amazing because I was about to walk the dog at that time, so my son asking me to play cards and him spending time with me may have saved our lives,” Theodore said.
Tampa Police said the woman does not live in the area. Now, they are trying to find out why she was here and who killed her.
“We don’t know why she was in this neighborhood. Our detectives have determined that she does not live in this area or in New Tampa. She is a Tampa resident. So, how she ended up down here in her vehicle is still a part of the active investigation,” Clark said.