An 84-year old woman and her 60-year old son were found dead outside their Virginia home following a night of sub-freezing temperatures, NBC 12 reports.
Local authorities say that it seems Viola Cox was suffering a medical emergency at her Spotsylvania home, and her son, Douglas Cox, left to go get help from a neighbor. Viola Cox was found at the bottom of the stairs to the back porch and appeared to have fallen. Her son was found on a trail leading to a neighbor’s house.
A family friend discovered the bodies of the mother and son and called Spotsylvania sheriff’s deputies at 8:20 a.m. on Sunday.
“Our initial investigation of this scene appears to show that Mrs. Cox suffered a medical emergency [Saturday] night and, as her son was attempting to summon aid by utilizing a trail leading to a neighbor’s house, he also suffered a medical emergency,” Sheriff Roger Harris said in a statement.
According to NBC12 News, further investigation showed that there was no cellphone service in the Cox residence, which is why, officials believe, Douglas Cox left in the first place. When the mom and son were discovered, both had been outside the residence for most of the night, when the temperature was around 10 degrees.
Authorities said there is no evidence of foul play in the deaths.
The Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office is currently awaiting autopsy results to determine if the weather played a role in the pair’s death.
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