Authorities revealed Alicia Witt’s parents’ suspected cause of death after the couple was found mysteriously dead inside their home in Worcester, Massachusetts, this week.
As we previously reported, The Walking Dead actress’ loved ones, Robert and Diane Witt, were discovered unresponsive in their house on Monday after the star called a cousin to do a welfare check because she has not heard from them for “several days.” So heartbreaking.
Their causes of death, though, had become somewhat of a puzzle. Lieutenant Sean Murtha of the Worcester Police Department told local media outlets that there “were no signs of foul play” and no signs of trauma at the time. The fire department also checked to see if the air quality might have been the cause but found no traces of poisonous gases like carbon monoxide.
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Now, it seems like they may have figured out what happened. Investigators revealed to Boston 25 on Friday that they believe Robert and Diane ultimately passed away from hypothermia – a dangerous drop in body temperature typically caused by prolonged exposure to the cold.
Just awful. And it seems like the most logical answer given what detectives have learned so far…
According to police, one of the parents was found wearing a coat indoors. They also received reports that Robert and Diane were having furnace problems and using a space heater to keep warm. However, some neighbors claimed they never heard about any heating issues at the duo’s place and recently saw an oil truck making a delivery.
One neighbor specifically told the outlet that the couple had been sick for some time before their deaths – with Robert suffering from cancer while Diane had recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease:
“She was a frail little thing, a good wind would blow her away.”
So sad…
We cannot imagine how Alicia must feel right now.
The neighbor also shared that the Dune star had been involved in her mom and dad’s lives and would often send a car to pick them up whenever she was in town. And whenever one of her films was on television, the pair often came over to the neighbors home to watch it since “they didn’t have a color TV.” Following the news of their death, Alicia issued a statement to multiple outlets, saying:
“I reached out to a cousin who lives close to my parents to check on them. Sadly, the outcome was unimaginable. I ask for some privacy at this time to grieve and to wrap my head around this turn of events, and this surreal loss.”
Authorities have yet to confirm the exact cause of death, but it seems like they’re pretty sure it was hypothermia.
Continuing to send our love to Alicia as she grieves her sudden loss.
[Image via Alicia Witt/Instagram, Charlie Steffens/WENN]
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