Woman's torso found floating near Niagara Falls

By Yamiche Alcindor, USA TODAY
A woman's torso was found floating near the base of the Niagara Falls, the Associated Press reports.

The woman was murdered and her body part likely in the water for up to 10 days, police said.

A tourist spotted the torso near the base of the Falls on Wednesday and police pulled the body out just past the Rainbow Bridge, Police Const. Derek Watson told the AP.

An emergency task unit, marine unit and the Niagara Parks Police high angle river team plan to search for the rest of the woman's remains, police said.

Officials have not revealed the woman's cause of death but have asked police in New York and Ontario to review missing-person files, Niagara Police Insp. Jim McCaffrey told the AP.

A preliminary post-mortem indicated the torso belonged to a white woman between 20 and 40 years old and had a pierced navel and at least one cesarean section scar.

McCaffrey said it's not uncommon to find body parts in the Niagara River. "That's pretty fast moving water and it does have an effect on bodies in the water," he said.

USA TODAY