Woman is found dead in clothing-donation box near Broward Mall, police say

A woman was found dead in a Plantation donation box early Friday morning, according to police.

Around 6:45 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 8300 block of West Federated Roadway, near Broward Mall, after reports of someone being lodged in a donation box.

Officers found the woman partially stuck in the pink clothing and shoes donation box and determined she was dead. Police say her death appears to be an accident.

A woman who works near the scene told Miami Herald news partner CBS Miami that she heard the dead woman was homeless and was trying to reach in for clothing.

The employee said she has donated clothes to the box many times.

“The opening to the box is pretty small, so I am assuming they tried to get in the box to get some stuff and they got caught somehow and ended up suffocating,” she said. “ It’s sad that someone was just trying to get some new clothes.”

The woman will not be identified until her next of kin is notified.

Police continue to investigate.

This story will be updated if more information becomes available.

This story was originally published June 27, 2025 at 2:21 PM.