Lufkin Police Investigating Possible COVID-19 Related Death

Just before noon today (5/8), Lufkin Police received a call of a deceased woman at a home in the 2000 block of North Timberland Drive. According to a release from the Lufkin Police Department, the caller said the deceased woman had tested positive for COVID-19. The caller and another person went to check on the woman after they could not reach her by phone this morning.

They said when they got to the woman’s home they could not get her to come to the door, so they went in through a window. They then found her not breathing and cold to the touch.

Officers and paramedics responded to the home using hazard protocols because the location had been identified as having a COVID-19 positive by Angelina County & Cities Health District. ACCHD released the address but not the identity of the COVID-19 patient to emergency officials.

Per policy with all unattended deaths, detectives, outfitted in HAZMAT gear, responded to the scene to ensure there was no foul play. They did not find the woman’s death to be suspicious.

The 64-year-old woman was an employee of Pilgrim’s Pride, according to information detectives received from family on the scene. Her family told them she developed symptoms on April 25^th and began taking over-the-counter medication. She was tested for COVID-19 May 4 and received her positive results two days ago.

The death inquest information was delivered via telephone to Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Billy Ball.

Sorry for any inconvenience.

“This woman’s passing reminds us of the serious consequences of COVID-19,” City of Lufkin Director of Public Safety Gerald Williamson said. “While our economy has been ordered open by the state, the responsibility to do everything we can to minimize the spread of this disease remains on us. Please stay vigilant with personal hygiene and social distancing, wear a mask in public and take extra precautions if you are at high risk. Please keep her family, friends and co-workers in your thoughts and prayers.”