Burning Body Found Hanging From Tree In L.A.’s Griffith Park, Police Believe Person Took Their Own Life

A burning body was found hanging from a tree in Los Angeles’ well-known Griffith Park.

At around 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, a park visitor was walking through Griffith Observatory when they saw a burning tree with a human hanging on it. The tree was near a merry-go-around at the park.

The visitor immediately alerted the park’s rangers, who then called in the police. There are no details about at what point the person hanging from the tree died, The New York Post reports.

The hanging person has yet to be identified, but a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department says the body belonged to a woman. Right now, there are no signs that foul play took place. Detectives believe this was a self-induced death.

“It appears to be self-immolation,” said LAPD detective Michael Ventura in an interview with ABC 7. “This is going to be somebody who brought some gasoline, brought some lighters. We have had.. they are rare, but we do have cases where people will self-immolate.”