need to know
-
The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner has determined the cause of death of Carrie Elizabeth Romney, the late sister-in-law of former US Sen. Mitt Romney.
-
Carey died on October 10 after falling from a parking garage in California
-
Mitt said in a statement at the time that his family had been “heartbroken” by his death
The cause of death of Carrie Elizabeth Romney, sister-in-law of former US Sen. Mitt Romney, has been determined.
The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME) said on Tuesday, December 9 that they determined Carey died of blunt force trauma. She was injured on October 10 after falling from the roof of a parking garage in Valencia, California. The DME also stated that Carey’s death was a suicide. She was 64 years old.
A representative for Mitt, 78, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy previously told PEOPLE that law enforcement responded to a call about Carey’s death at 8:30 p.m. PT and arrived at the Valencia Parking Garage, located in the 24500 block of Town Center Drive, where they identified her body.
A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy told PEOPLE that a woman jumped or fell from the parking garage, which is five stories high and adjacent to the Hyatt Regency Hotel, NBC Los Angeles reported.
In a statement shared with People shortly after Carrie’s death, Mitt said, “Our family is saddened by the loss of Carrie, who brought warmth and love to our lives. We ask for privacy during this difficult time.”
Bill Pugliano/Getty Images
Mitt Romney speaks at a campaign stop at Lansing Community College on May 8, 2012 in Lansing, Michigan.
Months before Carey’s death, her husband George “Scott” Romney — Mitt’s older brother — filed for divorce, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.
The filings show that Scott, 84, filed for divorce on June 10 from Carrie, who was his third wife. The filing cites May 25 as the date of the couple’s separation and names “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their split.
In his filing, Scott asked the judge to remove potential spousal support for both him and Carrie during divorce proceedings or at any time in the future. “Most of the assets and debts of the parties are separate assets and were accumulated before the marriage,” he said.
Carrey indicated to the court that she would not use the Romney surname after the divorce. Carey’s attorney, Paulina Markey, confirmed to PEOPLE that the divorce was not finalized at the time of Carey’s death.
“This is an extremely difficult time for Ms. Romney’s loved ones, and the family has requested privacy as they grieve. We extend our deepest condolences to them at this time,” she said in a statement.
“My client has not authorized me to make any comment to the media at this difficult and sad time,” Scott’s attorney, Karen L. Goldman, told PEOPLE when reached for comment earlier.
Never miss a story — Sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to human interest stories.
Scott and Carrie married on November 16, 2016 and have no children together. Scott was married to his first wife, Ronna Romney, from 1967 to 1992, and to his second wife, Sherry Gelalian, from 2011 to 2016.
Scott is the father of seven children from his previous marriage. One of his children is former Republican National Committee Chair Rona McDaniel.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use issues, or needs to talk to 988, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.
Read the original article on People
