The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office released the cause of death on Friday for a woman who died in mid-August at a Wells Fargo office in Tempe.
Denise Prudhomme, 60, entered the Wells Fargo corporate office near Priest Drive and Washington Street on Aug. 16 at 7 a.m. but, according to records, never scanned out.
Prudhomme was discovered by security four days later on Aug. 20. Tempe police responded to a call about a “subject down” and confirmed the death, though they did not specify where in the office she was found, according to a statement from the department.
The medical examiner’s report indicated that Prudhomme suffered a sudden cardiac death related to scarring of the heart muscles, though the cause of the scarring was not detailed.
Tempe police initially reported no suspicion of foul play, consistent with the medical examiner’s findings.
Prudhomme not found until 4 days later
Prudhomme entered the office early on a Friday morning, but it wasn’t until the following Tuesday that a security officer found her. During the four days she was in the building, her key card showed no record of her exiting.
Police confirmed that no missing persons reports were filed during that period.
According to sources who spoke with a Republic reporter in late August, Prudhomme worked in a section of the building that was typically less populated due to remote work arrangements.
“Denise was the only person on her team in Tempe. This may be one of the reasons why her desk was located in an underpopulated area in the building and nobody checked on her for four days,” read a statement by a union representing Wells Fargo employees.
One source told The Republic that security rarely conducted checks between cubicles during their patrols.
Union says Prudhomme’s death ‘sheds light on the reality of what it means to be a worker at Wells Fargo’
The Wells Fargo Workers United union, which represents Wells Fargo employees, criticized the company, claiming the company intensely scrutinizes workplace behavior but failed to act when Prudhomme wasn’t active.
“Wells Fargo monitors our every move and keystroke using remote, electronic technologies ― purportedly to evaluate our productivity ― and will fire us if we are caught not making enough keystrokes on our computers; however, Denise went unnoticed at her desk for four days. The contradictory nature of electronic surveillance versus an unnoticed death sheds light on the reality of what it means to be a worker at Wells Fargo,” the statement from the union read.
The death of Prudhomme also prompted a call for enhanced safety precautions that would alleviate stress for employees.
“The solution is not more monitoring, but ensuring that we are all connected to a supportive work environment instead of warehoused away in a back office,” the union statement read.
‘Saddened and outraged’: Union releases statement on Wells Fargo employee who died at desk
Republic reporter Miguel Torres contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cause of death released for Tempe worker found dead in her office
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