WASHINGTON — Detectives in Ocean City, Maryland, have confirmed that a woman found dead in the sand Monday was buried alive by a beachcombing tractor.
The Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore determined in an autopsy that 30-year-old Ashley O’Connor died accidentally of asphyxia due to suffocation.
The town spokeswoman said O’Connor got separated from her family around 2 a.m. Monday, and someone saw her hand extending out of the sand on the beach around 6:30 a.m.
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57 comments:
I TOLD YOU!
The town is going to feel that law suit!
There may be some extenuating circumstances, like alcohol, drugs, or lying unconscious or sleeping in a shallow hole when the sweeper came by.
Why woukd it be a lawsuit...no one told her to lay in the sand in the dark
what lawsuit? a woman whonhac been out drinking was on the beach at the times when no one is "allowed on the beach" do you not read the signs posted EVERYWHERE??
I had a Sgt. who hide riding the beach in the early morning hours while still dark ran over a girl who showed up at OCPD Headquarters with tread marks on her back that perfectly referenced to the tires on the Sit's Bronco. You never heard that news did you?
Sand can suffocate people. You should not teach kids to dig holes on the beach and get in them.
Prayers go out to the family,seems like an unfortunate accident.
I am confused... where does it say it was a beach comber tractor that did it?
6:15 you are correct....must be able to read a sign. It's sad, but, you still must know the rules!
never mind... see it now.
Those tractors have lights on them that light up the beach in front of them like day light only it is a concentrated lighted area. Difficult for me to believe this. Has OC got new beachcomber apparatus since they were using ones that were in the sand 6-12 inches and sifted the sand through the strainers which separated the trash to go in the bins and the sand became level. I have a lot of questions because it appears to me a full fledged cover-up not to frighten tourist away. I have all inclination of a "murder" cover-up.
6:34 In the first paragraph.
6:16-I can barely understand what you are stating. Try English next time.
6:34- First sentence.
This is a horrible tragedy very sorry for all involved. I have slept on the beach also I never thought this could happen. Wow.
I'm thinking a drug test is necessary for the driver.
Even with headlights, etc... maybe the driver was distracted/texting and wasn't 100% alert.
8:17, I'm thinking a drug test is necessary for the victim.
Driver out there trying to make ends meet and up head above water (no pun)
Condolences to the family of the deceased and a hope for closure for them.
Yep! Once again .......... you are the big winner here Joe! Wow.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story stated that a beachcombing tractor was definitively involved in O’Connor’s death. As her death is still under investigation, that has not been confirmed by officials. The story has been updated to reflect this ongoing investigation.
So Joe, what did you tell us?? That this would be a cover up?? Or An accident?? I will say I find it hard to believe that she was run over by a sifter that really doesn't go all that deep, Guess it could have happened.
Unless someone's loose lips speaks we will never know.
7:52... 6:16 said "I had a sgt.". That means he was a cop. Understand the grammar and intellectual issues now?
I guess the moral of the story is don't crawl into holes on the beach late at night while maybe extremely tired or under the influence.
Maybe O.C. Needs to light the beach completely all night during the season.
It actually says it is a possibility but still under investigation. Sooooo....
Assume= makes an ass out of u & me. None of us know what happened. Pointing fingers doesn't solve it. Speculation doesn't solve it. The whole thing is sad. A young life snatched away. Regardless of what happened. Pray for the family
This is a cover-up! She had papers that would have sent Hillary Clinton to Prison, it was Murder!
I think there's more to it than what they say.
I like how she was "separated from her family at 2am"....Let's go back to that a little more ...Who saw her last ?? Where was she ?? With whom ??? Leave a bar with a stranger ?? It's hard to be a reporter when none of these facts are available yet ...Sad and tragic ...
And there's always that one...
Yeah, right. The beach sweeper also dug the hole and put her in it before it accidentally covered her up...
Believe that, and I have a real nice used car in my back yard I would like to sell you.
Right, no sleeping on the beach! Have had the police tell me that a few times in oc when I was taking a rest on the sand at night. I would go out to the boardwalk and later go sit down on a blanket in the sand even though I wasn't sleeping they would come by and remind you.
She walked on the beach highly intoxicated. A friend saw her at a club, she was inebriated.
Told her mom who was with her that she wanted to take a walk.
She fell in a hole that was on the beach. If she passed out, we will never know.
If she was in the hole, I can imagine the tractor driver could not see her.... obviously!!!!!
This is a terrible terrible accident!!!!
9:39 gets it. A terrible set of circumstances set this whole tragedy in motion. So sad.
9:22 someone had dug the hole earlier in the day. I lived on the boardwalk for almost 30yrs. People dig deep holes all the time and don't fill them in when the leave the beach. I've been on the beach and have heard 'let's see how deep we can dig a hole.' Signs say don't dig deep holes and to fill them in.
The tractor did NOT dig the hole. It only covered it up after she fell into it.
I have lived on the shore my whole life, have been going to the beach since I could walk, but not at OC. Never do I remember wanting to dig a huge hole nor did any of my family or friends. Maybe its just an out of town thing that I don't understand. I feel so sorry for this woman's family they must feel horrible. What really bothers me is there is another group of people, family, friends who dug the hole out there knowing what street they were on that day and what they have done and they get off scot free and most likely think the whole thing is a joke. What happen to the ordinance that was passed after that little boy was killed a few years back?? I know the life guards have their hands full with the rip tides swimmers again I don't get that either. But step up OC hire some extra summer beach patrol to walk the beach and monitor these idiots. If fines were issued for digging huge holes perhaps the idiots would think twice.
The poor guy on duty driving the tractor prob feels horrible, i feel for him. Such a tragic accident, this is why you should always drink responsibly, if that was the case of course. I pray for everyone involved!
Probably on Facebook while driving the tractor
Did anyone actually read the article? It doesn't say that us really what happened! Uuuggghhh. This ignorance and blind belief is idiotic
Agree!
One was performed you ignorant human being and no drugs were involved!,,
Well said, thank you from her family ❤️
Since I was there I'd like to set the record straight on this. This was a young woman who just wanted to walk out on the beach to see the ocean after 20+ years of being away from her hometown of MD. The separated part is not exactly accurate. Her parents went up to the room to bed ahead of her never thinking she wouldn't return after a quick walk on the beach. When she did not return after 15-20 minutes they went looking for her. Apparently some stupid human being dug a 5 foot hole and left it. It was dark, she didn't see it and fell in and couldn't get out! Sand starts to cave in when you try to claw at it to get out people! Then the tractors, for whatever reason, didn't see her and buried her alive. The autopsy has revealed no drugs, she was not passed out nor was she sleeping!!! The ones at fault here are whoever felt the need to dig a 5 foot hole and leave it, and the beach tractor drivers for not looking in the hole before pushing sand in to fill it!!! Her family is devastated and now have to bury their daughter, sister, Aunt, and wife so please have some respect and stop with the negative comments people. On behalf of her parents I beg you!!!!
No none of those are true! Just a girl taking a walk on the beach before heading to bed when tragedy struck. I have posted the REAL story below.
It was a 5 foot deep hole and she did not climb into it. Hard to see it in the dark and she fell into it accidentally!!!!
I saw her last and she just wanted to take a walk on the beach before bed!! She was right in front of her hotel and was alone. Her parents went up to bed and she was to follow after a quick peak at the ocean!!!
Well your friend is a liar!!! I was with her and she was not at any club nor was she highly inebriated!!!
There were no signs where she walked out!!
Thank you from her family ❤️
Such a tragedy. So sorry for your families loss.
Such a tragedy. So sorry for your families loss and the people who like to make things worse by all of their speculations. My suggestion, as I've been through a similar situation, just stay off of the internet for a while. Don't look at any comments regarding this because you can't defend her or you family to everyone out there. The people saying negative things are just negative people, so don't waste your time or emotions on them. You've been through enough, so don't let them bring you down anymore. Praying for peace for your family and hearts for the people who have no empathy for the horrific tragedy you are going through.
Xoxo
I would love to see those who are responsible for that hole be charged. Isn't there any cameras watching the beach in that area?? People love to gossip don't let that effect your family. I also lost my daughter 2 years ago it has just devastated my world, I feel for your family so very much.
Her family is all over this post not sure why. It does not add up at all sorry to bust your bubble. Randomly fall into a five foot hole at night no one sees her family does not find her.... Come on.
Seems fishy. If nobody was there how do they know so much?
My only question to family member that keeps saying she was walking and fell in the hole. Were u there? How do you know this is what happened? Very sad story but really no one knows what happened!
How did the sand get over top of her?
One sweep from those tractors will NOT fill a 5ft deep hole. If it was a 5ft hole was she that short. This story seems very fishy. Yes tragic for all involved.
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