Briefly

--Stefanie Frith

A woman whose partially nude body was found floating in the ocean near

28th Street in Newport Beach has been identified as Crystal Michelle

Light, 23, of Long Beach, police said Sunday.

Newport Beach police said identification belonging to the victim was

found Saturday by a parking control officer inside her car near where her

body washed up a day earlier.

The cause of death was drowning, according to an autopsy by the Orange

County coroner’s office. The time of death was estimated to be about two

hours before her body was found.

The victim, clad only in blue jeans, was found in the surf line at

6:54 a.m. Friday by someone walking on the beach near the stone jetty.

The circumstances surrounding her death are under investigation. The

coroner’s office is waiting for the results of toxicological tests,

police said.