A 66-year-old American Airlines flight attendant was found dead in her hotel room at the Philadelphia Airport Marriott hotel on Monday, the New York Post reported. Cleaning staffers discovered the unnamed 66-year-old victim late Monday evening at approximately 10:45 p.m. Investigators said that the woman was pronounced dead at the scene, and she was discovered with ''a cloth in her mouth.''
Officials confirmed on Tuesday that the woman worked as a flight attendant for American Airlines, according to NBC10. However, her identity has not been released. As per ABC6, she was supposed to have checked out of her hotel room two days prior. It's not known why hotel staffers didn't enter the room sooner after the woman failed to check out.
Law enforcement sources have reported that there were no apparent signs of forced entry or struggle and no weapons were recovered from the scene. However, several sealed prescription drugs were found in the room.
Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small told WCAU that the woman's death was ''suspicious'' and that an investigation was ongoing. He added that the woman was believed to have suffered a ''sudden death''.
''It's very strange. And it seems like [there are] a lot of unanswered questions. But it is very sad,'' Tracee Quinn of Ferris Hills, Pennsylvania, told WPVI in an interview.
Her body has been taken to the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office and officials are awaiting the results of an autopsy. So far, no arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.
In an internal memo, American Airlines said the flight attendant “passed away suddenly” while on a layover in Philadelphia. She had worked for the airline for 25 years.
“The well-being of our team members is our top priority, and we will ensure that all those affected by this tragic loss have the support they need,” the memo said.
In June this year, another senior flight attendant died after she collapsed during a flight from Venice to Philadelphia. Carol Wright, who worked with the airline for 38 years unexpectedly collapsed on a flight from Venice to Philadelphia aboard a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
