Woman drowns in sand at Maryland beach

Police in Ocean City say that a vacationing woman from Texas accidentally died after ending up in a hole and being covered with sand.

It happened on Monday, July 31.  Police say that Ashley O’Connor, 30, of Plano, Texas, was found on the beach in the early morning hours.  Police say that O’Connor walked onto the beach alone at approximately 2 a.m.

A beachgoer found her body, with only a hand showing above the sand.

It was unclear if O’Connor fell into the hole or climbed in on her own.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has ruled the death to be accidental caused by asphyxia due to suffocation.  A toxicology report is still pending.

O’Connor was recently married and had just started a painting business with her wife, Janet, according to a GoFundMe page established to help pay for expenses.