Woman found unresponsive in Yaphank lake, Suffolk police say

Suffolk County homicide detectives are trying to determine what led to the death of a homeless woman found unresponsive Wednesday night in a Yaphank lake.

The woman, identified as Delores Evans, 39, was found in Upper Lake at about 8:40 p.m. when she was spotted by two people on shore, police said.

Police said Evans, who has no known address, was transported to Long Island Community Hospital in East Patchogue, where she was pronounced dead.

Police initially termed the death a drowning Wednesday, but said Thursday that the official cause of death is to be determined by the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner and that no definitive cause of death has been determined at this time.

Additional details were not immediately available. Police are asking anyone with information to call the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6392.

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.”