Suspicious death: 46 year-old Palm Coast woman

Public Information Officer Debra Johnson told local St. Johns County reporters with Historic City News that a 46-year-old Palm Coast woman was found unresponsive in her bed shortly after 2:00 a.m. this morning and Flagler County Sheriff’s detectives are labeling the death as “suspicious”.

The mother of Margaret Miller of Shady Oaks Drive called the Sheriff’s Office when she received a call from her daughter’s cell phone early this morning. The mother, Margaret Knight of Daytona Beach, said she could hear her daughter’s boyfriend, Rafael Santiago, yelling and then the phone disconnected.

When Mrs. Knight called back and asked to speak to her daughter, Santiago told her she was not there, so she contacted the Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responded to the unit in the Integra Woods Apartment. Santiago answered the door and told deputies Ms. Miller was sleeping. Deputies reported they could see the woman from the door and after calling her name several times with no response, they entered the bedroom where they found her not breathing.

The cause of death has not been determined pending the outcome of the Medical Examiner’s autopsy.

Investigators have charged Santiago with possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana. He is currently being held at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Inmate Facility.

Additional details will be released as they become available.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at (386) 313-4911 or Crimestoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477).