Carolyn Donnelly died two weeks after she
was discovered unconscious in a parked car
By:Alec Moore
The Somerset County prosecutor’s office and the Hillsborough Police Department are jointly investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of an 18-year-old Manville woman who died earlier this month.
Carolyn Marie Donnelly of Arlington Road died on July 11, roughly two weeks after a Hillsborough resident found the young woman in the passenger seat of her mother’s car in an unresponsive state. The car was parked in the parking lot of a Hillsborough apartment complex on Farm Road.
After being found, Ms. Donnelly was taken to Somerset Medical Center where she remained in a comatose state until her death. The exact cause of Ms. Donnelly’s death has yet to be determined by the state medical examiner’s office in Newark, but investigators are awaiting the results of a toxicology report to determine if she died of something other than natural causes.
"We are investigating her death," said Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne Forrest, who emphasized that his office investigates all unattended deaths. An unattended death is any death in which no one else is present when the death occurs.
"There are no obvious signs of foul play, nor has the medical examiner reported any signs of foul play," said Mr. Forrest, who noted that investigators are looking into Ms. Donnelly’s whereabouts during the hours that preceded her being discovered unresponsive. "We need to account for her whereabouts between the time she left work (at the Manville Diner) and the time she was found unresponsive."
The Manville resident was a 2002 graduate of Immaculata High School in Somerville and was attending Rutgers in New Brunswick, majoring in English and creative writing.
Ms. Donnelly played softball for Immaculata High School and also played soccer and softball for Manville recreation teams.
Ms. Donnelly is survived by her parents, Catherine and Michael; a brother, Eddie; and sister, MaryEllen.
Ms. Donnelly was laid to rest at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Hillsborough on July 16.
Anyone who may have any information on Ms. Donnelly’s death, or her whereabouts on the night of June 28, is asked to call the Somerset County prosecutor’s office at 575-3300 or the Hillsborough Police Department at 369-4323. Callers who wish to remain anonymous may call the prosecutor’s office toll free tips line at 1(888) 577-TIPS (8477).
Staff Writer G. Natasha Zoe contributed to this article.