BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut.- A 59-year-old woman from Trumbull was found dead inside a burned car in Bridgeport. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner later determined that her death was a suicide caused by thermal injuries.
The vehicle was found shortly before 11 a.m. Thursday, September 3, at the entrance to Elton Rogers Woodland Park on Frenchtown Road, in Bridgeport’s North End near the border with Trumbull.
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Bridgeport Police began receiving several 911 calls reporting the Bridgeport car fire. The Bridgeport Fire Department responded, extinguished the flames and later found a body in the driver’s seat.
The condition of the body initially prevented a visual identification. Bridgeport detectives and firefighters began investigating with the participation of Connecticut State Police and Trumbull authorities.
The investigation established that the vehicle was registered to an address in Trumbull. Investigators later went to the residence and interviewed a relative, allowing them to establish a preliminary identification.
An autopsy in Farmington confirmed through dental records that the victim was a 59-year-old woman, a mother and a Trumbull resident. Bridgeport Police withheld her identity out of respect for her family’s privacy.
After completing the examination, the state medical examiner officially classified the manner of death as suicide and determined that the cause was injuries caused by the fire. Investigators had considered that possibility before receiving the final autopsy results.
Authorities also said there was no threat to the public connected to the case. However, the investigation into how the vehicle fire began remains open.
The Bridgeport Fire Department and Connecticut State Police’s fire and explosion unit continue analyzing the origin and circumstances of the fire. Trumbull Police also assisted because of the woman’s residence and the vehicle’s registration in the town.
A local resident told media that she heard what she described as a loud explosion before seeing the vehicle in flames. Authorities have not confirmed that an explosion occurred, so that account remains an unconfirmed witness statement.
The area of Frenchtown Road near Elton Rogers Woodland Park remained restricted for much of Thursday while investigators processed the scene. Authorities have not released additional details about the personal circumstances surrounding the death.
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