Lancaster County woman dies after Hegins Valley assault

By Kaylee Lindenmuth

HEGINS – A 53-year-old woman from Lancaster County is dead after an assault in Hegins Township, and State Police are investigating the incident as a homicide.

According to State Police at Frackville, the incident occurred at the Rausch Creek Trail Riders facility in the township, where the victim was staying for the night.

Around 8:00am January 5, staff was contacted by a male staying at the camp, who was acting erratically and asking where his girlfriend was. Two and a half hours later, staff drove to his campsite and found the victim in a Dodge Ram pickup, lying in the passenger seat.

The Ephrata woman had severe head and neck trauma and was bleeding heavily. Paramedics arrived and transported the victim to a nearby medical helicopter, which took her to Hershey Medical Center in Dauphin County for treatment.

At the hospital, it was found she had stab wounds and injuries consistent with strangulation.

Just before 4:00pm Wednesday, the woman passed away at Hershey and troopers are now investigating the incident as a homicide.

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