MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – The Miami-Dade Police Department is investigating the death of a 53-year-old woman whose body was found outside an abandoned home Tuesday night.
Miami-Dade police said someone called 911 at about 8 p.m. to report a body found on the front porch of an abandoned house at 10215 SW 171st St.
Police identified the woman as Francis Harris.
According to Harris' boyfriend, Kenneth Bethel, he was doing yard work at a neighbor's home when he returned to find Harris missing.
He said the couple was staying at a relative's home about two blocks away from where Harris was found. Bethel believes Harris walked to a home that was up for sale to use the bathroom.
Bethel also said he believes Harris was beaten and raped because Harris was discovered without her underwear on and her body was bruised.
He said he noticed a group of guys racing off on bicycles shortly before her body was found.
"She (ran) out of the back yard and made it to the side(walk), where they found her at," Bethel said. "Evidently, come to find out what might have happened -- one of the boys hit her (and) probably knocked her out, thought she was knocked out, and did what they wanted to do to her and left her there."
Police have not confirmed the boyfriend's claims and said Harris' body was taken to the medical examiner's office so a cause of death could be determined.
Follow Carlos Suarez on Twitter @CarlosWPLG
Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10