An octogenarian South Carolina woman died over the weekend after falling through the floor of a 103-year-old home and down a 48-foot well shaft.

Dorothy Downey, 83, was helping her daughter move out of the Salem, South Carolina, home Sunday.

As Ms. Downey was walking in the kitchen, weakened floorboards gave way, opening up into a well shaft the family did not know was there. The house dates to 1920.

Ms. Downey fell down into the well and suffered blunt force trauma that killed her, according to The Associated Press.

The woman’s daughter, unnamed by officials, had called for help after being unable to find her mother in the crawlspace under the house. Firefighters arrived, found Ms. Downey and retrieved her body from the well.

The accidental manner of death was unprecedented, according to officials.

“I have not had a death like this occur in my 31-year career,” Oconee County Coroner Karl Addis told the Journal, a local newspaper.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.