Venetia teen found dead in car in California Borough parking lot
A recent Peters Township High School graduate and incoming freshman to PennWest University was found dead in her car in a California Borough parking lot early Thursday morning.
The body of 18-year-old Karoline Heintz was found inside her car near the California Borough Public Library shortly after midnight after she had spent the day before with her family, according to the Washington County coroner’s office.
When Heintz did not meet back at an agreed-upon time Wednesday at campus housing, family members began searching for her and tracked her vehicle to the parking lot in the 100 block of Wood Street in the borough.
Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh said he was called to the scene about 1 a.m. and described it as an “active investigation,” but declined to elaborate on whether foul play is suspected. The coroner’s press release said state police are investigating, although the cause and manner of Heintz’s death were not immediately released.
Heintz, of Venetia, played soccer at Peters Township High School and was a member of the Victory Soccer Club in Washington, where the organization said in a Facebook post last year that she was a longtime captain of the girls team. The school district posted on Facebook in December that she had signed a letter of intent to play soccer at PennWest this year. PennWest is scheduled to begin its fall semester Monday.
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