TURNER — Nancy Steele of Turner, who owned the Ivy Cottage on Route 4, was found dead at that property Thursday morning. According to police, she is believed to have been killed when her riding tractor-style lawnmower rolled over on her.

According to a press release from the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department, that office received a call at 7:10 a.m. reporting that Steele’s body had been found at the business, which closed last year.

Steele, 58, had gone to the property to mow the lawn Wednesday evening and was last seen around 6:30 p.m. mowing in front of the business, police said.

She was supposed to baby-sit a relative Thursday morning and, when she didn’t show up, a member of her family went looking for her.

Steele had gone to the back of the business on the riding mower and had mowed up a steep hill, turned around and was traveling back down the hill, according to police. The lawn mower was found rolled over near the top of the hill and she was pinned under it.

The cause of death is pending a medical examiner’s review.

The accident scene was not visible from Route 4 and only barely visible from the driveway of the business, police said. The Wheel Horse mower she was using is not normally used to mow that part of the property, according to police, and investigators have not determined why she “chose to try to mow the steep slope with that lawnmower.”

Police are continuing the investigation. If you have information about this accident, you are asked to call Deputy Jon Guay at 753-2591.

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