Authorities seek family in United States of US woman found dead, leaving 2 children in Costa Rica

UPDATE: (Tuesday, 2.09pm) – A family member has contacted ICR News.  Thank you to our readers for helping circulate this story.  

November 3^rd, 2015 (ICR News) Costa Rica’s child welfare agency, PANI is attempting to locate the family of 35-year-old US citizen, Sarah Kim Nelson, who was found dead in her home in La Trinidad de Alajuela over the weekend, leaving behind two small children aged 3 and 4 years.  Authorities are attempting to locate family members in the United States to take custody of the children, as the woman is not believed to have any family in Costa Rica.

Neighbors were alerted to the situation over the weekend, when the two small children were found screaming for help from behind the home’s perimeter gate.

Police and firefighters responded to the scene to find the 35-year-old mother deceased on the floor.  Officials said the woman showed no obvious signs of injury and the cause of death remains under investigation.

The tabloid daily, Diario Extra, reported that some of the woman’s neighbors said she was having financial problems, was close to being evicted from her rented house, and spoke of suffering from depression.

Immigration records indicate that her last recorded entry to Costa Rica was in 2010 as a tourist, and she later applied for residency, which appeared to still be in process at the time of her death.

An unconfirmed report indicates that the woman’s husband died last year as the result of a heart attack.

A family who live next door to the woman’s home is currently caring for the two children while child welfare authorities attempt to locate the woman’s family.

If you have any information on how the family can be reached, or are a family member, please email [email protected] and ICR News will assist in contacting the relevant authorities.