Pennsylvania grandma suffered blunt force trauma after fall through sinkhole, coroner says
UNITY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) — An autopsy revealed Elizabeth Pollard, the Pennsylvania grandma who fell through a sinkhole while looking for her cat, had blunt force trauma to her head and torso, the coroner said on Tuesday.
While the autopsy showed 64-year-old Pollard had very significant injuries, Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson says they can't tell whether she died instantly.
Police said Pollard fell about 30 feet into a sinkhole that opened up above an abandoned mine behind Monday's Restaurant in Unity Township.
The search began for Pollard last Tuesday after she went missing. During the search, police said they found Pollard's car, with her 5-year-old granddaughter inside, cold but unharmed. Troopers also found a sinkhole, which they believe opened up while Pollard was looking for her cat, Pepper.
Pollard's body was found on Friday after crews spent days surgically excavating dirt from the abandoned mine. Officials said they used machinery to bring Pollard's body to the surface because there were fears about a collapse as crews continued to dig.
Rescuers held out hope that Pollard would be found alive, but eventually moved their operation into a recovery phase. After Pollard was found on Friday, officials said they wanted a better outcome but they were relieved they could at least provide some closure to her family.
Pennsylvania is home to one-third of the nation's abandoned land mines, the state Department of Environmental Protection said. Marguerite is one of several old coal mining communities in Unity Township and the surrounding area.
The coroner said they're still waiting on toxicology reports, which will take a few weeks.
As for Pollard's cat, Pepper still hasn't been found.