NewsNational News

Actions

Police: Woman accidentally drowns in hotel room hot tub

Posted at
and last updated

Authorities in upstate New York say a New Jersey woman drowned in a hotel hot tub, and her body caused a water jet to overheat and set off a fire alarm. 

New York State Police say the smoke alarm went off around 4 p.m. Monday in a room at the Water's Edge Inn in Old Forge. When maintenance staff entered the room, they found 55-year-old Patricia Moschella unresponsive in the water. 

Emergency workers were unable to revive Moschella, and she was later pronounced dead. 

Officials say the Freehold, New Jersey woman suffered a medical episode that caused her head to slip underwater and her hair to tangle in a water jet which set off the smoke alarm. 

Police say the medical examiner concluded the drowning was accidental.