A woman died and a man was hospitalized after both were found unconscious with head injuries at a Kent park early Wednesday morning in what police are investigating as a potential homicide.
Kent patrol officers and Puget Sound Fire responded at 3:50 a.m. to Kaibara Park at 212 2nd Ave. N. after a 911 caller reported seeing two people unconscious on the ground. The caller said he was walking through the park when he noticed the two people, who did not respond when he checked on them. He went to a nearby business to have someone call 911, then returned to help officers locate them.
The first officer arrived within minutes and found a 53-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman, both from Renton. The man had a head injury and was breathing but unable to talk. The woman, found next to him, had a significant head injury and was nonresponsive. Despite lifesaving medical aid by Puget Sound Fire, she was declared dead at the scene. The man was later transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The Kent Police Department Detective Unit is conducting the death investigation. Police said the cause of death is undetermined, but the incident is being investigated as a potential homicide. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause of death at a later time.
The circumstances surrounding how both people sustained head injuries remain unclear. Police have not disclosed whether investigators believe the injuries resulted from an assault, an accident, or another cause. The investigation focuses on determining what happened between when the two individuals arrived at the park and when the passerby discovered them.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Kent Police Tip Line at 253-856-5808 or email KPDTipLine@kentwa.gov. Time-sensitive information should be reported by calling the non-emergency dispatch line at 253-852-2121 or 911.
