An unsettling discovery was made following a car accident in Olmstead County, Minnesota, as authorities uncovered a deceased woman in the vehicle's backseat.
The incident escalated when investigators confirmed the woman's death was not from the crash, leading to the driver's arrest, ABC News reported.
Early Saturday morning, an accident was reported on Interstate 90 near the Highway 42 exit, which drew first responders to the scene. Margot Lewis, the 32-year-old driver, had already exited the wrecked vehicle and was receiving aid from a passing motorist when the authorities arrived.
Law enforcement officers found more than just wreckage upon their assessment. A 35-year-old woman was discovered dead in the back of Lewis's car, her condition raising immediate suspicions.
The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office quickly determined the situation was far graver than a mere traffic accident.
"The driver of the vehicle, identified as Margot Lewis, a 32-year-old female of an unknown residence, was out of the vehicle and being tended to by a passerby. In checking to see if anyone else was in the vehicle, a deceased individual, a 35-year-old female, was located in the back seat," noted the police in their incident report.
The day following the crash, authorities charged Lewis with Interference with a Dead Body. They transported her to a local hospital for a health evaluation before booking her into the county jail.
Her court appearance was scheduled for Tuesday, where the case details would be further scrutinized.
First responders included the Minnesota State Patrol, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Eyota Fire Department, and Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service, who all reacted swiftly to the early morning emergency.
The identity of the deceased has been withheld, awaiting the notification of her next of kin, leaving the community anxious for more information and prompting an outpour of an offer of condolences.
"The condition of the deceased was suspicious, and it was immediately apparent that the death was not a result of the motor vehicle accident," added the police, confirming the unusual circumstances surrounding the woman's death.
As the investigation unfolds, further details remain closely guarded. However, the authorities continued their inquiries, piecing together the events that led to the fateful incident.
The local and broader community remains shocked, awaiting updates as they come to terms with the sinister undertones of the case.
Margot Lewis's prompt arrest and charges punctuate the seriousness of this case as legal professionals and law enforcement work together to untangle the sequence of events.
With a court hearing looming, Margot Lewis faces the judiciary, where evidence and allegations will undoubtedly paint a fuller picture of this tragic incident.
As updates on the investigation will likely reveal more about the internal happenings leading to the tragedy, the community holds on to hope for justice for the deceased, whose premature departure under mysterious circumstances has left many in dismay.
Despite the many unanswered questions, what remains unequivocal is the severe, peculiar manner in which the events unfolded, pointing to much more beneath the surface than a mere traffic incident. The ongoing police investigation strives to bring clarity and justice to a case shrouded in mystery and tragedy.
