Death of 42-year-old woman on Sanibel Causeway ruled accidental

The death of a woman Tuesday evening on the Sanibel Causeway has been ruled accidental, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

Wendy Cooper, 42, was discovered along the ‘B-Span’ of the Sanibel Causeway. Witnesses said they saw a police boat out on the water carrying part of a kite-surfing rig.

Some nearby residents, like Kellen Hall, are questioning if the storm played a factor in Cooper’s death.

“A big squall came through, and when that came through it was blowing maybe 30 to 40 miles per hour,” Hall said. “I think the kite surfer, or whoever it was, got sucked through the bridge when that big gust came through and pretty tragic.”

The circumstances leading up to the death are still unclear.

CLARIFICATION: This story was updated to reflect the death investigation took place at the Sanibel Causeway, not Sanibel Island.