Death of Fayette County woman found in "deplorable conditions" under investigation, coroner says

An investigation is underway in Fayette County after a woman was found dead amid extremely deplorable conditions, the coroner said. 

The coroner's office, Uniontown police, firefighters and Fayette EMS were called to the home off North Gallatin Avenue on Thursday, where 44-year-old Elizabeth Fike was pronounced deceased.

Inside the home, coroner Bob Baker said they found deplorable conditions and severe neglect in her care.

"As we started doing our investigation, she had not been out of her bed for over three months," Baker said.

Investigators said it was reported that Fike had multiple sclerosis and was under the care of a caretaker.

"She was completely dependent on caregivers to take care of her at this particular time in her life and we saw, obviously, a person here in a very bad situation," Baker said.

In photos shared with KDKA-TV, you can see Fike's bed and extreme filth surrounding it, including a bedpan with her bath water that was allegedly three weeks old.

Baker said while Fike's immediate surroundings were filthy, a brand-new hospital bed, urinal and wheelchair were available at the home.

"All of it not used, untouched at that matter, and she's laying in this filth," Baker said.

Her alleged caretaker took to social media shortly after her death, claiming Fike's MS medication hadn't been delivered. KDKA-TV reached out to them to ask how long she'd been without her meds. The caregiver said that due to the ongoing investigation, they won't answer any questions.

Baker said his office will determine Fike's cause and manner of death pending autopsy results.

"We do toxicology. We do a special brain study we ordered. We're doing additional studies in the lung tissue. So, we're doing a very detailed and complex examination into this case," Baker said.

In the meantime, Baker urges the community and families to check on their loved ones and neighbors.

"My advice would be to check on your loved ones and to if anybody has a smell, a sound or a situation that doesn't seem comfortable, call, notify somebody. Somebody will come out and do a welfare check," Baker said.

Uniontown police said charges are pending the result of Fike's autopsy.