A 51-year-old woman’s lifeless body was discovered floating in the East River near Queens on Sunday morning, as reported by a spokesperson from the New York City police. Responding to a 911 call at 11:15 a.m., authorities located Sharon Shao’s body in the water close to Fort Totten Park near Totten Road and Cross Island Boulevard. Shao, who hailed from Flushing, was found approximately 1.7 miles away from her residence, according to police. Additionally, officers found traces of blood inside a white Mercedes parked in the vicinity. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, with law enforcement looking into the possibility of foul play, as per ABC7 reports.
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The park, which houses the 533rd Brigade of the U.S. Army Reserve and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, is utilized by the NYPD and FDNY for training purposes. Despite being a public park with a renovated visitor’s center and a museum detailing Fort Totten’s history, it is regularly patrolled by officers. The official cause of Shao’s death will be determined by the medical examiner’s office on Tuesday, as stated by a spokesperson.