Tag Archives: cold related death

November cold-related death in Tinley Park brings season total to 21

Feb 20, 2015 |

(TINLEY PARK)  A Chicago man’s death in south suburban Tinley Park last November has been confirmed to be related to the cold, bringing the season’s total to 21, officials said Friday.

John Smith, 26, was found in the 5500 block of West 175th Street in Tinley Park on Nov. 19, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Smith, of the 7100 block of South Yates, was dead at the scene. An autopsy, which was awaiting results of further tests, found he died of hypothermia due to cold exposure and heart disease, the medical examiner’s office said Friday. His death was ruled an accident.

As of Friday there have been 21 confirmed cold-related fatalities this season in Cook County, according to the medical examiner’s office. During the 2013-14 winter season, there were 32.

© Copyright 2015 Sun-Times Media, LLC 

Two more cold-related deaths bring season total to 20

Feb 19, 2015 |

(Chicago)  Two more Cook County residents have died of cold-related causes, bringing the total this season to 20, officials said Wednesday.

Harvey D. Harmon, 53, was found lying in the 11200 block of South Vernon Avenue about 1:20 p.m. Jan. 12, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Harmon, who is homeless, was dead at the scene, authorities said. An autopsy found he died of hypothermia due to cold exposure and chronic ethanolism, the medical examiner’s office said. His death was ruled an accident.

At 11:12 p.m. Tuesday, an unidentified man was found on a sidewalk in the 3100 block of South Laramie in Cicero, the medical examiner’s office said. He was taken to MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, where he died less than an hour later.

An autopsy showed he died of acute alcohol toxicity and cold exposure, and his death was also ruled an accident. He remains unidentified, described only as a white male in his 40s.

The deaths are the 19th and 20th confirmed cold-related fatalities this season in Cook County, according to the medical examiner’s office. During the 2013-14 winter season, there were 32.

© Copyright 2015 Sun-Times Media, LLC

Two more cold deaths reported in Cook County

Jan 2, 2015 |

(Chicago)  A Blue Island man and a Delaware woman are the 10th and 11th cold-related deaths reported this season in Cook County, according to county officials.

A Delaware woman who died in south suburban Homewood on New Year’s Eve is the most recent cold-related death in Cook County.

Debra McCann, 56, was pronounced dead at South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest at 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 31, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy Thursday found McCann, of Port Orange, Delaware, died of a heart attack and heart disease, according to the medical examiner’s office. Obesity and hypothermia due to cold exposure were listed as contributing factors.

Her death was ruled an accident.

Last week, 63-year-old Garry Stankus was pronounced dead at Palos Community Hospital in Palos Heights at 2:20 a.m. on Dec. 23, according to the medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy found Stankus, who lived in the 2200 block of Market Street in Blue Island, died of sepsis and pneumonia, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Chronic alcoholism and hypothermia due to cold exposure were listed as contributing factors. His death was also ruled an accident.

At least nine others have died of cold-related causes in Cook County since early October, officials said.

© Copyright 2015 Sun-Times Media, LLC

99-year-old woman is Cook County’s seventh cold-related death

Dec 5, 2014 |

(Chicago)  A 99-year-old woman who died of cold exposure Wednesday in the South Side Auburn Gresham neighborhood is Cook County’s seventh cold-related death of the season.

Modsite Dearing was pronounced dead at her home in the 8700 block of South Parnell at 10:16 a.m. Wednesday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy Thursday found she died of hardened arteries and hypothermia due to cold exposure, according to the medical examiner’s office. Her death was ruled an accident.

Police could not immediately provide information on Dearing’s death.

At least six other people have died of cold-related causes in Cook County since Oct. 9, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Two additional deaths are likely cold-related, but determinations on the cause and manner of their deaths were inconclusive Thursday pending further studies, a spokesman said.

Last season there were at least 32 cold-related deaths in the county.

© Copyright 2014 Sun-Times Media, LLC

Latest Local News