FROM STAFF REPORTS
Following a five-month investigation, the death of a 33-year-old Statesville woman has been ruled an accident.
The Statesville Police Department announced the findings in the death of Shelbie Lynn Smith in a news release on Friday morning.
SPD officers responded to a report of a missing 4-year-old child from 521 Hickory Avenue on the morning of June 1. The child was located nearby on Wilson Lee Boulevard by a concerned citizen, who attempted to return the child home.
After arriving at the residence, the individual found Smith unresponsive. Emergency responders were called to the scene, where she was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Given the circumstances, the SPD Violent Crimes Unit, in collaboration with the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, conducted an in-depth investigation. Officers carefully processed the residence, collecting and testing multiple items to aid in understanding the events leading to Smith’s death, according to the news release.
A state pathologist has officially ruled Smith’s death as accidental.
“Out of respect for the privacy of Ms. Smith’s family, the Statesville Police Department will limit further details released to the public,” the department said. “We extend our heartfelt sympathies to Ms. Smith’s family and loved ones during this challenging time and kindly ask the community to respect their privacy.”
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