Denise Owen dies in fatal Staten Island car accident
Fatal Staten Island car accident death of Denise Owen – Obituary
A Staten Island family experienced an unimaginable scare on Halloween when they received heartbreaking news about the death of Denise Owen, a cherished sister and daughter. The devastating news, however, was the result of a tragic case of mistaken identity that took nearly 18 hours to rectify.
Sheila Nagengast, Denise’s sister, received a knock on her door at 1:30 a.m. on Halloween, with NYPD detectives delivering the shocking news. They informed her that 44-year-old Denise, who lived in New Dorp Beach, had been struck by a vehicle on Hylan Boulevard, resulting in fatal injuries that left her unrecognizable.
Nagengast recalled the detectives explaining that Denise had been thrown into the air upon impact, leading to the horrific injuries. Overwhelmed by grief and confusion, she questioned how they had identified her sister. The police indicated they had found identification on the scene.
In a state of shock, Nagengast consented to organ donation before heading to the hospital morgue, grappling with the loss of her sister, who had struggled with schizophrenia and faced challenges related to homelessness and mental health care. The emotional turmoil of the night was compounded by the uncertainty surrounding Denise’s well-being, making the eventual clarification of her identity all the more poignant.