Season's First Cold-Related Deaths In Cook County Reported

(STMW) --Two people, a northwest suburban man and a North Lawndale woman, died this week in Cook County at least in part because of cold exposure.

Richard Faust, 82, was exposed to cold in the 300 block of South Grayfriars Lane in Inverness, where he lives, the Cook County medical examiner's office said.

He was taken to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, where he died at 4:01 p.m. Sunday, the medical examiner's office said. An autopsy Tuesday found he died of complications of hypothermia and cold exposure.

Mattie D. Gallion, 68, of the 4200 block of West 21st Street, was found unresponsive Monday in her back yard when officers responded about 8:30 p.m., according to police and the medical examiner's office. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:46 p.m., the medical examiner's office said.

An autopsy Tuesday found she died of heart disease and listed cold exposure as a secondary factor, the medical examiner's office said.

Both deaths were ruled accidents.

Last season there were at least 31 cold-related deaths in the county.