WASHINGTON — Carrie Elizabeth Romney, the sister-in-law of former U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, was found dead near a shopping mall in Santa Clarita on Friday, authorities said.

Carrie, 64, was discovered around 9 p.m. in the 24000 block of Town Center Drive, adjacent to the Valencia Town Center shopping mall, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Her cause of death remains under investigation. Officials said she may have fallen or jumped from a five-story parking structure, though the L.A. County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet confirmed the manner of death. Her case is currently listed as “ deferred ” pending further testing, including toxicology.

“Our family is heartbroken by the loss of Carrie, who brought warmth and love to all our lives,” the Romney family sai

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