A person was found dead inside a vehicle stopped along a rural road Saturday.
According to the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office, a passerby noticed a KIA SUV in the roadway in the 600 block of Horse Farm Road near Glenarm. The witness could not tell if the vehicle was occupied or not.
At approximately 10:14am, the same passerby noticed the vehicle, a Kia sport-utility, was parked in the same location but smoke was now visible. The flames in the car quickly spread, and the witness called 9-1-1 for assistance and waited on scene for emergency personnel to arrive.
The Divernon Fire Department responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. Detectives responded to the scene and took over the investigation.
The victim, identified as Laquita Harris, 28, of Springfield was pronounced deceased at the scene. An autopsy was done and the Sangamon County Coroner said preliminary findings show Harris died from smoke inhalation and thermal injuries sustained in the fire.
The vehicle was registered to an address in Springfield.
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing.
If anyone has information about this incident, they can call Crime Stoppers of Sangamon & Menard Counties at (217) 788-8427, or the Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division at (217) 753-6840.
