The cold weather has caused the death of Plantersville woman, and officials are warning everyone that extended periods of time out in the freezing cold can be fatal.
Lee County Coroner, Carolyn Green, has confirmed that 45-year-old Kerry Meritt has died from hypothermia after being found unresponsive on her porch on Tuesday morning.
While officials are uncertain of how long she had been on the porch, Merritt was transferred to the North Mississippi Medical Center, where her body temperature was 20 degrees below the average 98.6. Doctors attempted to raise Merritt’s body temperature with heated blankets and other methods, but they were unsuccessful. Merritt passed away just before noon. Green says that Merritt suffered from a potentially debilitating health issue, that is not being disclosed for privacy purposes.
As record low temperatures persist, Green says that it is essential to check on those who may be susceptible to the colder weather.
“If you know someone who has debilitating health issues keep a close check on them, even if they’re not elderly make sure they have all the medications that they need, and they’re not staying out for long periods of time where they could be susceptible to the colder weather. Also check on the elderly, obviously and make sure they are okay,” Green said. “These are record temperatures, and we’re just not used to them, and prolonged periods can kill.”
