TAMPA, Fla. — UPDATE: The young mother found dead on the side of a New Tampa road this week has been identified as 22-year-old Alana Sims.
Tampa police continue to investigate the death of the young mother.
According to police, the woman was found late Monday lying on the ground near her car in the 10700 block of Pictorial Park Dr inside of the Easton Park subdivision.
What You Need To Know
- Police investigating death of young woman found on New Tampa street; ID'd as Alana Sims, 22
- A toddler was found sleeping in the back of the woman's SUV
- Police are asking anyone with any information to contact them
Officers arrived to find a sleeping male toddler in a car seat in the back of a Ford EcoSport SUV and his mother, an adult female in her 20s, dead next to the vehicle with upper body trauma.
The child was unharmed and is now in the care of a relative. Officials said the woman does not appear to live in the neighborhood.
Homicide detectives have been speaking with neighbors and asking for home surveillance camera videos.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact the department at (813) 231-6130 or share a tip through TIP411.
"This is an absolute tragedy," said Tampa police spokesperson Crystal Clark. "We have a woman in her 20s who is now deceased and a toddler who is going to grow up without a mother because of what happened. So the best thing we can do for this family is bring justice to them and that requires the public coming forward."