Police are asking the public for help investigating why a woman was found dead in a shallow roadside ditch in Hope, B.C. on Friday.
Two boys riding their bicycles discovered the severely injured woman on Flood Hope Road in the Richmond Hill area around 7:30 p.m. while simultaneously spotting her shoes strewn across the road, RCMP Staff Sgt. Suki Manj told ctvbc.ca.
Investigators estimate the victim, who has not yet been identified, was in her 50s. Police say a preliminary investigation reveals she was a pedestrian killed by a hit-and-run driver on a dry visible roadway between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
"It's quite a sad story for the family and this individual," Manj said.
Manj is hoping to get closure for the woman's relatives and find out who was driving the vehicle that struck her.
"The driver, in this case, may not have seen the woman. Maybe they thought they hit an animal, or perhaps there were other reasons why they may not have stopped," Manj said.
"When someone takes responsibility for their actions and deals with it right away, it not only makes it easier for the police, but it makes a world of difference to the family who just lost a loved one," he added.
Police are asking anyone with information to call the Hope RCMP at 604-869-7750 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
