Jun 29

Jun 29 Local investigators trying to determine what led up to woman's death

Investigators are trying to piece together the 24 hours that led up to a woman being found dead in a Stewartville parking lot last week.

Authorities on Monday identified the woman as 26-year-old Kayla Iverson of Brooklyn Park. She was found unresponsive around 1:15 p.m. Friday in the parking lot of Center Town Plaza.

Iverson's official cause of death has not yet been revealed, although there is a "high likelihood" that her death is related to a narcotics overdose, according to the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office.

The driver of the vehicle, 41-year-old Chad Espeseth (lives in the Twin Cities metro but does not have a permanent address), was taken into custody for driving while under the influence of a controlled substance.

Authorities later discovered 23 grams of methamphetamine in a locked container inside the vehicle. A key to the container was found in male's jacket, according to the sheriff's office.

Capt. Scott Behrns said Espeseth pulled into the parking lot and requested help from medical personnel at the Olmsted Medical Center, located within the shopping plaza. Health care workers came out and tried to resuscitate Iverson but were unsuccessful.

Investigators are now trying to figure out when exactly Iverson stopped breathing. Behrns said it's possible she could have been dead for "quite a while," raising questions about whether Espeseth reacted appropriately.

Espeseth was Iverson's uncle, according to authorities.

Anyone who may have seen either individual in the hours leading up to Iverson's death is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Rochester & Olmsted County at 1-800-222-TIPS. You can remain anonymous.