As crews worked to rescue a 75-year-old woman in an overnight condominium fire early Sunday in Lakeland, they discovered the body of the woman's daughter in an adjacent unit.

According to the Lakeland Fire Department, crews responded to the Windsor Arms condo complex at 217 Windsor Street at 1:17 a.m.

Firefighters reported heavy fire and smoke coming from unit 5B when they arrived.

“The front window of the apartment was completely engulfed in flames shooting out up over the roof,” said neighbor Gary Simonson. “Smoke barreling about 6 feet off the ground, all the way down the street, it just kept pouring down until the big truck showed up.”

Crews were able to carry out Francis Hurd, 75, who was incapacitated by smoke. She was treated on scene and released without injury.

After the fire was contained, crews searched other units and found 45-year-old Alecia Dotson dead in the bathroom of the adjacent unit 6B. Officials said Dotson, who is Hurd's daughter, woke her mother up and went to the apartment next door.

Lakeland Police Department detectives responded and determined that Dotson died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police investigators are treating the death as a suicide and not a fire fatality.

“She was deceased in the shower, she suffered burns and a gunshot wound,” said Battalion Chief Williams.

According to court records, Dotson had pleaded guilty earlier this week to attempted sexual battery. Lakeland police say Dotson sent inappropriate text messages to an 11-year-old student at Highland Grove Elementary School, where she was a teacher's aide.

“I think they’re still coming to grips with what happened, certainly grieving,” said Battalion Chief Williams. 

According to firefighters, the fire started in Hurd's bedroom.

Four condominiums were evacuated and three families have been displaced. American Red Cross is helping those families. 

Lakeland Police is handling the death investigation and the fire department is still looking into what caused the fire.