BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – On Thursday, the Broward Sheriff’s Office identified the woman whose body was found along Alligator Alley in the far western portion of the county the day prior.
Authorities located the body of Ivy Bedell along the southbound lanes near mile marker 42, headed towards Fort Lauderdale, between the Miccosukee Reservation exit and the Broward County Rest Area Wednesday morning.
“The Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office has completed an autopsy and determined that there are no signs of foul play. The cause of death is pending toxicology results,” BSO spokesperson Miranda Grossman said. “BSO Homicide Unit detectives are continuing to conduct a criminal investigation surrounding the circumstances of where and why her body was left along the roadway.”
Officials haven’t said who initially discovered her body.
Speaking to Local 10 News Thursday, Bedell’s grandmother Barbara Lechler didn’t deny her 20-year-old granddaughter had issues. She was a drug abuser, she was in and out of jail, and when she was in a rehab program, it wasn’t for long.
But it wasn’t always that way, and she believes more could’ve been done to save her.
Lechler was heartbroken after learning the woman’s body found along Alligator Ally Wednesday morning was that of her 20-year-old granddaughter.
“Fun, outgoing, but very depressed, you could see that side,” Lechler said.
Lechler claims Bedell was the victim of sex trafficking since the early age of 14 years old.
Since her early teens, Bedell had been in an out of rehab for severe drug abuse.
“She had substance abuse issues because she wanted to self-medicate, she was a serious cutter,” Lechler said.
Lechler told Local 10 News’ Roy Ramos her concern was always that Bedell would be the victim of murder.
She claims her granddaughter received death threats through social media.
What’s frustrating to Lechler is she believes the legal system failed her granddaughter by preventing a death she knew would happen.
“I told the police she was going to be killed, I gave them forewarning, I gave them everything one could give someone,” she said. “The system wrecked my granddaughter.”
Local 10 News reached out to the sheriff’s office who said they have taken every allegation Lechler has reported to them seriously and even arrested a man in 2021 after Bedell accused him of false imprisonment and battery, although the case was later dropped.
“Court records from June 6, 2022, show that Bedell recanted her allegations and the Broward State Attorney’s Office dropped the charges related to BSO’s case,” a news release from BSO stated. “In addition, dating back to 2017, BSO, the Florida Department of Children and Families and Child Protective Investigative Services has responded to and investigated dozens of incidents involving Bedell, her mother and grandmother.
“The majority of these calls relate to Ivy’s documented mental health issues, drug use and runaway history. Some of the calls also relate to allegations of neglect and abuse.”
While the medical examiner determined there was no foul play, the investigation into what caused Bedell’s death continues.