Elderly Florida Couple Found Dead in Ditch May Have Been Killed by Heat

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Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property insurance market, local and national politics. She has previously extensively covered U.S. and European politics. Giulia joined Newsweek in 2022 from CGTN Europe and had previously worked at the European Central Bank. She is a graduate in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Politics and International Relations from Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy. She speaks English, Italian, and a little French and Spanish. You can get in touch with Giulia by emailing: g.carbonaro@newsweek.com.

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Bodies of an elderly Florida couple were found by deputies in a ditch on Wednesday, without visible sign of trauma. Investigators believe the couple's death to be accidental.

The couple, both in their 80s, were reported missing about 2:45 p.m. ET earlier that day by a family member who could not find the two at their home, Brevard County Sheriff's Office's said.

They had last been seen leaving their residence in Glenn Avenue on foot, shortly before 11:00 a.m. that same day. Deputies then began a search of the area and located the couple in a drainage swale in the Rockledge area, not far from their home, about 3 p.m.

The octogenarians' bodies were found together, Orlando-based station WOFL reports.

The deaths are being investigated by the Homicide and Crime Scene Units, which is interviewing potential witnesses and collecting evidence to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Deputies believe there was no foul play involved. The sheriff's office said that preliminary investigation would suggest that the death was "a tragic accident."

Wednesday was a day marked by scorching temperatures across much of the country, with heat warnings in Florida among many other states.

National Weather Service (NWS) has warned against stifling temperatures in Florida, with the mercury predicted to hit the 100-degrees mark in the coming days.

The heatwave has raised the alarm over heat-related deaths, with authorities advising people to stay indoors, stay hydrated and watch out for any signs of heat stroke, heat exhaustion or any other heat-related health problems.

Investigators into the couple's death do not exclude that the incident might have been related to the extreme heat.

"We will have no idea [why they died] until the autopsy is concluded," a spokesperson for Brevard County Sheriff's Office told Newsweek.

"The possibility exists that [the death] could be heat-related. There was no trauma to the bodies, so it was definitely accidental. Yesterday it was an extremely hot day and they [the couple] were out in no shade."

A spokesperson for the sheriff's office said it was unlikely that the two suffered a heat-related health issue at the same time, suggesting that what happened might be more complex.

"The heat-related death is just a theory now," the spokesperson said, stressing that only the result of the autopsy and the investigation will offer clarity on the situation.

The sheriff's office did not release the names of the couple.

Missing Couple in Their 80s Found Dead
Missing Florida couple in their 80s found dead in Brevard County ditch; deaths believed to be accidental. In this combination image, a Google Map view of the ditch, close to the couples home and inset... Google Maps/Facebook
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About the writer

Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property insurance market, local and national politics. She has previously extensively covered U.S. and European politics. Giulia joined Newsweek in 2022 from CGTN Europe and had previously worked at the European Central Bank. She is a graduate in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Politics and International Relations from Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy. She speaks English, Italian, and a little French and Spanish. You can get in touch with Giulia by emailing: g.carbonaro@newsweek.com.

Writers Page

Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property ... Read more