JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says it is investigating after a pregnant victim’s body was found in Riverview Park on Saturday morning.
JSO says a 911 call came in around 6:30 a.m. The victim had been found by someone walking through the park, which is just south of the Trout River off Bassett Road near Lem Turner Road.
The investigation is in its early stages and police said they were still working to identify the victim. The Medical Examiner will have to determine her cause of death.
“We are treating this investigation as a suspicious death with foul play suspected,” said Sgt. Edwin Cayenne with JSO’s Homicide Unit.
They did not have an age for the female victim, but they said she was “visibly pregnant.” Investigators said it’s unclear how long she had been in the park.
JSO is canvassing the neighborhood for potential witnesses who may have information.
News4Jax spoke with one neighbor who has lived in the area for about 20 years. He said even though it’s a pretty good area, he’s not surprised that something like this happened.
“In this day and age, I’m not shocked. I mean you would have to know the circumstances. This could have been something that happened somewhere else and ended up there,” Alfred Futch said.
Futch lives on the nicer side of the neighborhood with a gorgeous waterfront view. But just a few feet away toward the park, garbage, debris and rundown homes provide an opposite view. Futch said the neighborhood just isn’t the same.
“The biggest thing that we need is just routine patrols. When you have cops cruise the streets, then criminals find someplace else,” said Futch.
Anyone with information about the victim in the park is asked to call JSO at 904-630-0500 or CrimeStoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.