Woman's body found in Winter Park creek

A woman’s body was found in a Winter Park creek on Friday, but police still don’t know what brought her life to an end.

Winter Park Police were called around noon on Friday after a 47-year-old woman was found lying in a creek beside the Sandlewood Creek Condominiums off of Temple Trail.

The woman has since been identified as Sanford resident Karen Brooks, who had been seen by nearby residents sitting beside the creek the night before, Winter Park Police spokeswoman Lt. Pam Marcum said. She was reported missing by her sister the previous day as well.

There were no injuries sustained by Brooks or signs of foul play, Marcum said.

“This is not a homicide investigation,” Marcum said. “She died of either natural causes or something she had done. The medical examiner makes that determination.”

“At this point, it doesn’t appear [Brooks] was [in the water] for any lengthy amount of time,” Sgt. Frank Cowart told the Orlando Sentinel.

The cause of Brooks’ death remains a mystery, Marcum said, noting it could have been a medical complication or possibly drug or alcohol related.

“Unfortunately things like this happen,” Marcum said.

“It makes you think about your own mortality…Unfortunately people die and some die younger than others. It makes you think to live every day to the fullest.”

Marcum said that police should know the cause of death in 10 to 12 weeks once the toxicology report comes back.