Lakewood Woman Found Frozen to Death after Drinking with a Neighbor

A Lakewood woman found dead in the snow Sunday morning is believed to have frozen to death while walking to her townhouse from just two doors down on Davids Court. 

66-year-old Olivia Benito had been at a benefit at the Lakewood Elks with a neighbor the night before, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

According to the neighbor, they left the benefit and first stopped at the neighbor’s house for a short time. The neighbor stated further that Benito, who had consumed a number of alcoholic beverages during the course of the night, left her townhouse around Midnight to walk home two doors down.

When the neighbor went outside to clean off her car she found Benito face down in the snow, shortly after 7 a.m., according to Prosecutor's Office Spokesman Al Della Fave.

The neighbor attempted to help, then dialed 911 and alerted the victim’s husband.  The husband was under the assumption that his wife had decided to sleep at the neighbor’s home.

The preliminary investigation found no outward signs of trauma or foul play.  The Lakewood Police Department, OCPO and OC Sheriff’s CSI are awaiting the results of an autopsy by the OC Medical Examiner’s Office before making a final determination in the investigation.