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Woman Found Dead Under Scaffolding on Lower East Side

By DNAinfo Staff on February 20, 2011 4:53pm  | Updated on February 21, 2011 7:04am

The NYPD do not suspect criminality in the death of an unidentified woman found on Avenue B between East Eighth and East Ninth Streets on Sunday.
The NYPD do not suspect criminality in the death of an unidentified woman found on Avenue B between East Eighth and East Ninth Streets on Sunday.
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DNAinfo/Shayna Jacobs

By Gabriela Resto-Montero

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

LOWER EAST SIDE — A homeless woman who was a regular around Tompkins Square Park was found dead Sunday huddled under blankets in front of St. Brigid's Church on Avenue B between East Eighth and East Ninth Streets.

People around Tompkins Square Park identified the woman, who police said was in her 30s, as Grace, the New York Times reported.

Police did not identify the woman but said that she had recently been discharged from a hospital and wore a patient bracelet bearing the name "Jane Doe".

"She was a very beautiful person and she had a beautiful heart," a man who called himself Tony said to the Times.

Tony told the Times that Grace had been sleeping in an alcove in front of St. Brigid's Church for the past few days.

The man said he and Grace had shared a dinner of hot dogs and beans before he left to panhandle, leaving her wrapped in several wool blankets in front of the church, according to the Times.

Tony said he then left to spend the night at the Bowery Mission, which does not accept women, while Grace remained at St. Brigid's, the paper reported.

The woman did not have any visible injuries, according to the NYPD.

No criminality was suspected but the NYPD was awaiting Medical Examiner confirmation of cause of death.