The woman whose body was found washed ashore at Stratford's Short Beach Park on Friday has been identified as 40-year-old Amy Golda, the Director of Fine Arts for Hamden Public Schools.
"We are all saddened by the sudden tragedy," said Chris Melillo, interim superintendent of Hamden Public Schools. "She was a valued member of our community and we send our condolences to the Golda family. We will continue to support the family and community."
State police issued a Silver Alert for Golda earlier Friday but canceled it after her body was identified. It's not clear how she ended up in the water and how long she was there.
"A body washed up on the shore just into the sound there," said Michelle Boyce, of Beacon Falls, who had just gotten to the beach with her family when Golda was found. "[It] looked to be a woman. I think she'd been in the water for a while."
Stratford authorities are investigating and say Golda appears to have drowned. The medical examiner is working to determine an official cause of death.
"It was mysterious and you do'nt know what the circumstances were about her drowning, so we stayed out of the water a long time because we weren't sure," Boyce said.
Golda was last seen wearing jean shorts, sandals and a gray V-neck shirt. Police say she left her home Friday morning.
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According to beachgoers, Golda was fully clothed when emergency responders pulled her from the water.
