An elderly woman was killed on Birch Street at 6 p.m. yesterday, when her friend backed over her with a car, according to city officials.

According to reports, the Selma Police Department said CARE ambulance was called to a residential address in the 400 block of Birch.

When they arrived a woman was found already dead, lying in the street, police said.

Lt. David Evans, public relations officer for the SPD, said he wouldn’t identify the woman until he was sure her family was notified.

“We won’t release it until we’re positive (they’ve) been notified,” Evans said. Evans added the woman’s family lives out of state.

At this time, he said, police are treating the case as a death investigation, as is normal procedure.

“It appears it was an accidental death,” Evans said. “We are looking into any other circumstances.”

Evans said the investigation was continuing to guarantee thoroughness in the case.

“It’s continuing to rule out any other possibility,” he said.

Evans wouldn’t confirm the woman’s cause of death, saying he wasn’t able to until he talked with the woman’s family.