July 22--The weekend heat wave was at least partly to blame in the deaths of two older women Sunday, Cook County officials said.
In the first case, Ellean Williams, 69, of the 4800 block of West Cortez Street in Chicago was pronounced dead July 19 at 2:02 a.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
An autopsy conducted on Williams on July 19 determined that she died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease and heat stress, according to the office.
Darlene Lipske, 70, of the 3600 block of Maple in Brookfield was also pronounced dead July 19 at 1:40 a.m. at La Grange Memorial Hospital, according to the medical examiner's office.
An autopsy conducted July 20 determined that she also died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease and heat stress, officials said.
Both deaths were ruled natural.
There were no heat-related deaths in 2014, according to the office.
