V.I. Police Department St. John Deputy Chief Darren Foy reported that a 65-year-old female tourist apparently drowned on Honeymoon Beach on St. John on Wednesday, June 4.
Police were dispatched to that location just before 12 p.m. June 4 and encountered a woman unresponsive on the beach.
The victim was identified as Linda Padgett of North Carolina, who was staying at Bluebeard’s Beach Club on St. Thomas.
VIPD officials said Padgett and her husband were on a tour that stopped at the beach to snorkel. Sometime later the husband returned to the boat and Padgett continued snorkeling. According to witnesses someone began shouting for help and Padgett’s body was subsequently pulled from the water.
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St. John Rescue transported the victim to the Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center where she was pronounced dead by medical staff. According to EMS there were no visible signs of trauma to the body. The victim suffered from arthritis, high blood pressure and fibromyalgia and was taking several medications, according to Foy.
The case will be followed up by the Criminal Investigation Bureau.
