AVONDALE, AZ — The Arizona Attorney General’s Office has confirmed to ABC15 that it is investigating the death of a resident last month at a West Valley assisted-living facility.
The office said it cannot comment further at this time.
As ABC15 previously reported, the Arizona Department of Health Services opened an investigation last month. ADHS licenses long-term care facilities such as nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. Its investigation will focus on whether there were any health or safety violations at the facility.
Police said they responded to a call at Silver Birch of Avondale about 4:30 p.m. on July 21. Staff had found a 75-year-old female resident in a ramada outside. She was not breathing. Police said she entered the ramada through a door from the facility and was outside between one and two hours.
Temperatures that day reached triple digits.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office said the woman’s cause of death is still pending.
In a statement on Friday, Silver Birch wrote:
"We have been advised that the Arizona Attorney General’s Office is investigating the recent passing of a resident at our community. We are fully cooperating with their investigation and, at this time, have not been informed of any findings.
“The health, safety, and well-being of our residents remain our highest priority. We are committed to upholding the trust that families place in us and will continue to provide the compassionate, quality care that defines our community."
Email ABC15 Investigator Anne Ryman at: anne.ryman@abc15.com, call her at 602-685-6345, or connect on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Facebook.
