South Carolina Senior Dies After Falling Through Unknown Well Shaft Inside 100-Year-Old Home

An elderly woman in South Carolina died after falling almost 50 feet down a well shaft that was underneath the floor of her daughter's century-old home.

On Sunday, Dorothy Louise Downey arrived at her daughter's home in Oconee County to help her with moving. While walking through the kitchen, the 83-year-old fell through the weakened floor and down 48 feet into the well shaft.

Downey's daughter reportedly crawled under the house to try and find her mother, but she was unable to locate her, according to local station Live 5 News.

The Salem Fire Department and Oconee County Emergency Services arrived at the home and were able to remove Downey from the well, but she had died from the fall.

The coroner has ruled Downey's death accidental, but the sheriff's office is still investigating.

While Downey's family knew that the floor was rotten, it is unknown if they knew of the well shaft underneath the kitchen floor.