Minchaca Torres Obituary, Death; – A woman discovered deceased by deputies within an underground fuel tank in Merced County has been identified by the sheriff’s office as 32-year-old Minchaca Torres from Delhi. Another woman, who was found unconscious in the tank, is currently in critical condition at a local hospital.
Her identity has not yet been disclosed, although authorities have indicated that she is also in her thirties. Deputies responded to a call at the intersection of Oak and Sycamore streets near Delhi at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Monday.
Investigators have since revealed that a calf on the property had fallen into the tank, prompting both women to enter the tank in an attempt to rescue the animal. Detectives suspect that the hazardous fumes and insufficient oxygen in the confined space incapacitated both women.
While the women successfully rescued the calf, deputies reported that it regrettably had to be euthanized at the scene due to its poor condition. Additionally, Merced County Animal Services has taken custody of two more malnourished calves found on the property. An autopsy is forthcoming to ascertain the official cause of Torres’s death, and the investigation remains active.
