An elderly Georgia woman froze to death only yards away from where her wheelchair-bound husband had fallen out of his chair, authorities said. The two were both incapacitated and unable to help each other.
Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills reported that Maria Riffe, 74, suffered death from exposure after exiting the couple’s home when her husband, Roy Riffe, 86, had fallen out of his motorized wheelchair.
Mr. Riffe reportedly was out on the walkway when his chair overturned, dumping him to the ground.
His wife, who used a walker to get around, had come outside to try and help her fallen husband, but she also fell. The two were only about 20 yards apart and completely unable to help each other.
With temperatures dropping, the two began to suffer from the elements. But while Mr. Riffe was dressed in long pants and a jacket, his wife was only wearing a thin house dress.
Temperatures in Eatonton, Georgia, had fallen into the freezing temps of the thirties on January 14, the day of the couple’s accidents.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston, or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.
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