Autopsy set to determine identity of woman found at La Jolla Shores

An autopsy was to be performed Wednesday to try and determine the identity and cause of death of a woman found unconscious and washed up on the beach at La Jolla Shores Tuesday morning shortly after 9:30 a.m.

“Someone walking on the beach noticed her face down on the sand up against the sea wall with the high tide and notified employees of the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club who called 911,” said Lt. Andy Lerum, San Diego Lifeguard spokesman.

Lerum said the unidentified woman was in her mid-40s and wearing snorkeling gear, including fins and a hood with swimming goggles around her neck. He said she was not breathing when lifeguards arrived.

“Lifeguards were able to resuscitate her at the beach, and they lifted her and brought her up to the Marine Room parking lot on Spindrift Drive where paramedics were summoned,” he said. “She was taken to Scripps La Jolla Hospital where she was later pronounced dead at 11:07 a.m.”

Ian Nakar with the investigations division of the County Medical Examiner’s office said an attempt would be made to identify the victim today through dental records and circumstantial evidence found on her.

“We don’t know the cause of how she got there (beach), or what actually happened,” said Lerum. “We’ll let the medical examiner do their investigation.”