Woman found dead by police at Orange Coast College housing site ID’d

The body of a woman was discovered at the Harbour, a residential facility that serves students of Orange Coast College, during a Dec. 30 welfare check by Costa Mesa police has been identified by county coroner’s officials.

Costa Mesa Police Capt. Scott Stafford confirmed officers responded to the 1300 block of Adams Avenue that Tuesday at around 10:20 a.m., after receiving a call requesting a welfare check on an unnamed individual.

“Officers located the female, who was deceased,” Stafford said Wednesday. “CMPD is investigating the incident, but at this time there does not appear to be a threat to the public.”

Orange County Sheriff’s Sgt. Gerard McCann confirmed on Monday, Jan. 5, coroner’s officials had identified the decedent as Karina Mora Hidalgo, 19, of Costa Mesa. Details on what may have caused the death were not immediately available, pending completion of an autopsy and toxicology report, according to McGann.

While Stafford did not confirm the exact location where the body was found, an article posted by OCC’s campus newspaper, the Coast Report, indicated the Adams Avenue building was the Harbour, an 814-bed housing development in which both students and non-students reside.

In a communication to OCC families Dec. 30, President Angelica Suarez said officials were unable to provide any details, out of respect for the family and the integrity of the investigation, but would provide updates as appropriate.

“Please approach this moment with compassion and care, and refrain from speculation or sharing unverified information,” Suarez wrote. “Our immediate focus is providing support to the residents of the Harbour.”

After-hours mental health support services are being offered to staff and students, while in-person counseling for residents of the facility will be available in Building 7 at the Harbour, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday.

The Dec. 30 discovery is not the first of its kind at the Costa Mesa campus. In February 2021, Orange Coast officials confirmed two students had been found dead in separate dormitory units within a 24-hour period, the apparent victims of unrelated drug overdoses.

Capt. Stafford on Wednesday encouraged anyone who may have more information about the incident to contact CMPD Detective C. Jones at (714) 754-4873.