Authorities are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found near a Long Beach movie theater.

Long Beach police officers responded to the discovery of an unresponsive woman shortly after 11:30 a.m. Friday at the bottom of a stairwell outside Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26 & Imax, Sgt. Brad Johnson said in an email.

The cinema is part of the Long Beach Towne Center, which is in the 7500 block of Carson Boulevard.

Long Beach Fire Department personnel also responded and determined the woman had died where she was found.

Police are speaking with potential witnesses and have asked the Los Angeles County Coroner to identify the woman and to determine how the woman died. Preliminary investigations suggest the woman, who appeared to be of middle age, died of natural causes.