Authorities have reported that the body of a woman remained undiscovered at her desk for four days after she died at her workplace.
Denise Prudhomme passed away while working at Wells Fargo in Tempe, Arizona. The cause of her death has not yet been disclosed.
This incident has raised questions about how her body went unnoticed for such an extended period.
Tempe police confirmed to 12News that Prudhomme was last seen scanning into work at 7am on August 16.
There is no record of her scanning out of the building afterward.
Security personnel discovered the 60-year-old unresponsive at her desk and called emergency services.
According to police, Prudhomme was found slumped over in her cubicle.
Her body was discovered by a colleague on the third floor, in a cubicle located away from the main aisle.
Workers in the building had started to notice a foul smell, which was initially attributed to faulty plumbing. It was later revealed that the odor was due to the body decomposing.
Officials stated that even though some employees work remotely, security should have discovered Prudhomme’s body sooner.
Speaking to 12 News, an unnamed Wells Fargo employee described the emotional impact of the incident.
They commented: “It’s really heartbreaking and I’m thinking, ‘What if I were just sitting there?’ No one would check on me?”
Police have stated that there is no suspicion of foul play and that Prudhomme likely died of natural causes.
The same employee expressed concern over the lack of communication from Wells Fargo.
They said: “That’s the scary part. That’s the uneasy part. It’s negligence in some part. I’m just wondering why they didn’t formally address employees about it?”
Following the tragedy, Wells Fargo released a statement to 12News.
A spokesperson for Wells Fargo stated: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague at our Tempe office. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones during this difficult time.”
The bank added that they are fully cooperating with authorities in the investigation into Prudhomme’s death.