Ferndale woman, 47, found dead in lake

By Jeremy Selweski
C & G Staff Writer

INDEPENDENCE TOWNSHIP — The body of a Ferndale woman was discovered floating in the waters of Round Lake in Independence Township on the morning of Sept. 1.

According to Oakland County Undersheriff Mike McCabe, investigators were still awaiting the results of an autopsy on the woman, who was identified as 47-year-old Sally Maloney.

“There are no suspicions of foul play at this time,” McCabe said, “but we won’t know the cause of death until the medical examiner takes a look at her. This looks like a tragedy, though, and it appears that alcohol was a factor.”

McCabe explained that at the time of the incident, Maloney was staying at the Independence Township home of her boyfriend, who was out of town on business. A house sitter was also there to look after the home, located in the 5000 block of Smokey Hollow Lane, right on the banks of Round Lake.

The house sitter reported that on the night of Aug. 31, she and Maloney were sitting by the lake talking and drinking alcohol. At around 11:30 p.m., the house sitter told Maloney that she was going back inside to go to bed. Maloney told her that she was going to stay out by the lake a little longer to enjoy the warm, clear night.

“She was out there drinking by the water, looking at the stars,” McCabe said. “Then she decided she wanted to go skinny dipping.”

The house sitter woke up at around 9:45 a.m. the next morning and could not find Maloney. She looked all over the house for her and then went outside to continue her search.

“She saw that (Maloney’s) car was still in the driveway, so she knew that she could not have gone far,” McCabe said. “When she looked out on the lake, she saw (Maloney) floating about 100 feet from the shore.”

With the help of two neighbors, the house sitter retrieved Maloney’s body from the water. Maloney was naked, and the blue bathing suit she was wearing the night before was later found washed up on the shore.

One of the neighbors called 911, and local Oakland County Sheriff units, assisted by the Independence Township Fire Department, responded to the scene. The county forensic laboratory was also called in, along with the county medical examiner’s office, who took Maloney’s body in for an autopsy.

Although the cause of death has yet to be determined, McCabe indicated that evidence on the scene pointed to one strong possibility.

“(Maloney) was stuck in some weeds when the house sitter found her,” he said, “so she could have become entangled while she was swimming. … This case just seems like a really sad, unfortunate accident.”

At press time, a representative from the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s office said that Maloney’s autopsy was scheduled to be performed on Sept. 2.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Jeremy Selweski at jSelweski@candgnews.com or at (586)218-5004.