You may remember this sad case. Orlando Sentinel reporter Bianca Prieto files this report in breaking news:
An elderly couple found dead in their College Park home in August both died naturally, according to Orlando police.
Kathryn Whitson and her live-in boyfriend Walter Simpson, both 72, were found dead by her brother on August 15. One of the couple's pet monkeys was loose in the house and would not let the man near his sister's body. He told police it appeared that the monkey's leash was wrapped around Whitson's neck.
Early in the investigation police denied that the monkey had anything to do with the woman's death. She was found in a bedroom, while Simpson was found in another part of the home.
The Orange-Osceola Medical Examiner ruled recently that the couple died naturally and no foul play was involved, police said.
"It's unusual, but it happens," police spokeswoman Sgt. Barbara Jones said.
Medical Examiner Dr. Jan Garavaglia said the couple died in roughly the same time frame, anywhere within a few hours to 24 hours.
"We had to rule out foul play, that's No. 1," Garavaglia said. "There was no trauma, no suffocation, but we had to rule out poisons and other environment conditions."
The toxicology reports on both came back negative, she said.
Simpson, who was in the end stage of emphysema, was found without his oxygen and clutching a cap to an inhaler, she said. Whitson, who suffered from dementia and diabetes and was bedridden, depended on Simpson for care, Garavaglia said.
It's likely that Simpson died first of complications of the emphysema and Whitson died a short time later of complications of diabetes.
The couple owned several exotic and domestic animals, including birds, three more monkeys and several cats and dogs.
No comments:
Post a Comment