MEDIA RELEASE
January 25, 2017
Victim of Unattended Death Identified
On Tuesday, January 24, 2017, at approximately 11:01 a.m. Officers from the Flagler Beach Police Department were dispatched to the north side of the State Road 100 Bridge for what appeared to be a human body floating in the Intracoastal Waterway. Upon Officers’ arrival, a female was found deceased in the Intracoastal Waterway. The victim in this case was positively identified as Janis Washburn, 68 years of age, a resident of Palm Coast.
On, Wednesday, January 25, 2017, an autopsy was performed by the Medical Examiner’s Office and the cause of death was determined to be drowning. The investigation into the death of Ms. Washburn has officially been classified as a suicide and the case is hereby closed.
Chief Doughney stated, “Our entire Department’s thoughts and prayers are with the Washburn family during this difficult time. The loss of a loved has a ripple effect on those that are left behind and we hope that time, faith and serenity come quickly to those that loved and cared about Janis.”
Chief Doughney continued, “This tragedy should serve as a reminder that life is fragile and that there are people in our community that need help. Suicide is not the answer. The answer is reaching out to someone, anyone that can listen and help. If you don’t know who to call, call 911 and we’ll respond. Our goal is to preserve life and help prevent tragedies like this one from occurring.”
If there are any questions, please feel free to contact Chief Doughney at (386) 517-2023. The following suicide prevention information is respectfully provided.
- Stewart-Marchman-Act Behavioral Healthcare Crisis Hotline (24/7): 1-800-539-4228
- Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition (24/7): 1-800-273-8255 (TALK)
- http://www.smabehavioral.org/locations/flagler-county/
- http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/