Cops: Fort Salonga woman drowns in pool

Homicide detectives are investigating the death of a woman who police said drowned in a neighbor's pool in Fort Salonga on Wednesday.

Suffolk County police said the victim, identified as Carol-Jean Werkstell, 76, was found unresponsive in the water in the pool at a Truxton Lane home at 6:10 p.m.

Police said Werkstell was taken to St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown, where she was pronounced dead.

Police said a resident of the home called 911 to report he'd found Werkstell floating in the pool upon his return home.

Additional details were not immediately available Thursday.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”