The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Bureau has determined that accidental drowning caused the deaths of two people whose bodies were found in Santa Barbara-area creeks this month.
Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Raquel Zick identified the woman found deceased in Mission Creek during last week’s storm as Danielle Montijo, 45, from the Santa Barbara and Ventura area.
The Coroner’s Bureau determined she died from accidental drowning, Zick said.
A CBS news crew covering last week’s storm discovered Montijo’s body in the creek the morning of Feb. 19. City fire and police personnel responded to the scene, near Bath and West Cota streets.
Police Sgt. Ethan Ragsdale said at the time that foul play was not suspected.
The Coroner’s Bureau has also confirmed accidental drowning was the cause of death for a Carpinteria man found in Toro Canyon Creek on Feb. 14.
Sheriff’s Office representatives initially called the death suspicious before later saying it was “not criminal in nature.”
On Monday, Zick said the Coroner’s Bureau concluded the cause and manner of death for Shane Craig Bandy, 54, was accidental drowning.
No further information was available on either case.