AVONDALE, AZ — The Maricopa County Medical Examiner has ruled the death of a West Valley assisted-living facility resident, who died outside in July, as heat-related.
The report says 75-year-old Linda Hughes died of environmental heat exposure as the primary cause. Contributing causes include cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s/dementia, according to the report.
A police report obtained by ABC15 says Hughes had lived at Silver Birch of Avondale for about three years. One staffer told police she usually didn’t go outside, preferring to walk around inside.
Police believe Hughes entered a courtyard through a door on July 21 and was found there in the late afternoon, unresponsive. Temperatures that day reached triple digits.
The report says the door to the courtyard has an alarm that sounds when opened. Once outside, the door locks. Someone has to let the person back into the building, according to the police report. Staffers told police they did not see Hughes go outside.
She was outside between one and two hours. The report says her core temperature was about 110º when she was found.
As ABC15 previously reported, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office is conducting an investigation into what happened that day.
ABC15 reached out to Silver Birch for comment but has not yet heard back.
Silver Birch officials previously told ABC15 in a statement that they were cooperating with investigators.
“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,” the statement said.
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.
