Woman Dies After Being Impaled by Flying Beach Umbrella

Virginia Beach, Va — Virginia Beach Police have identified a woman who died in an apparent "act of nature" when she was stabbed by a loose beach umbrella.

The woman, Lottie Michelle Belk, 55, of Chester, Va., was on the beach when a strong gust of wind blew an anchored beach umbrella across the beach and struck her, Virginia Beach Spokeswoman Tonya Pierce told Patch Thursday. Pierce said that she had personally never seen anything like Wednesday's accident.

Belk was suffering of cardiac arrest when police responded to the scene and died after being transported to a nearby hospital, police said.

The Virginia Beach Police Department Homicide Unit is investigating the death, but there is no indication of foul play. At this time the death is being ruled an undetermined death. The Homicide Unit investigates all deaths in Virginia Beach, Pierce told Patch.

[Photo credit: Jason Pratt via Flickr]