Woman's death at casino remains under investigation

The death of a pregnant 26-year-old Carbondale woman, who was found unresponsive at the Prairie Band Casino & Resort on April 22, remains under investigation.

On Wednesday, Shawn Walker, police chief for the Potawatomi Tribal Police Department, confirmed the identity of the woman as Samantha Rae French. Walker reported that he is working with Jackson County Attorney Shawna Miller on the incident and no arrests have been made, it was reported.

French was found unresponsive shortly after midnight on April 22 at the hotel portion of the resort. It was reported that she was having difficulty breathing and was transported to Stormont-Vail Regional HealthCare Center in Topeka for additional medical care.

According to a fund-raising website set up in her memory, French was a mother of three and was the daughter for Michael French and the late Lisa Plasted. She also had three sisters.

French’s autopsy was completed on April 22, but the results have not been released since the incident is an ongoing investigation.