Denise Prudhomme cause of death revealed: Wells Fargo employee lay at her desk for 4 days and no one noticed
UPDATE: The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner has released the cause of death for 60-year-old Denise Prudhomme, the Wells Fargo employee who was found dead at her desk days after clocking into work.
The medical examiner issued the cause of death as “sudden cardiac death in the setting of myocardial fibrosis". Heart attacks are often the leading cause of the condition.
Tempe, Arizona: In an incident that has sent shockwaves through Tempe, a Wells Fargo employee was found dead at her desk after going unnoticed for as many as four days in the company’s Tempe office.
The employee, identified as 60-year-old Denise Prudhomme, reportedly clocked into work at 7am on Friday, August 16, but never returned home. Her body was not discovered until Tuesday, August 20, when a colleague found her unresponsive at her desk in a cubicle on the third floor of the office building near Washington Street and Priest Drive.
Tempe police responded to reports of a "subject down" at the location and later declared Prudhomme dead. The Tempe Police Criminal Investigation Bureau is investigating the incident but has stated that foul play is not suspected.
An employee, who spoke to 12 News on the condition of anonymity due to fear of job security, described the workplace environment, noting that the building is large and many employees work remotely, which may have contributed to the delay in discovering Prudhomme. The employee expressed concerns over the situation, describing it as "negligence" and calling for new safety protocols to be implemented.
The employee also revealed that a foul odor had been noticed by several people but was dismissed as a potential issue with the building’s ventilation system. Despite the building having 24/7 security, Prudhomme’s body remained undiscovered for days, leaving many employees feeling uneasy and scared.
A second employee, who also chose to remain anonymous, echoed these concerns, questioning how it was possible for someone to be in the office for so long without being noticed. "How was she there about four days before anybody found her, before anybody walked up to her just to say hi, make sure she's okay?" the employee asked.
Wells Fargo issued a statement expressing deep sadness over the loss of their colleague and assured that counselors from their Employee Assistance Consulting Service were available to support other employees. The company also confirmed that the building had been thoroughly cleaned following the discovery. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner is conducting an investigation to determine the cause of Prudhomme’s death.