A Wisconsin man who died Sunday morning in northwest suburban Hoffman Estates is Cook County’s 38th cold-related fatality since the start of the season.
Kelly John O’Donnell, 52, was found at 8:29 a.m. in the 1200 block of Mallard Lane, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He was pronounced dead 25 minutes later.
An autopsy Monday found O’Donnell died from coronary artery disease, with hypertensive heart disease and cold exposure serving as contributing factors, the medical examiner’s office said. His death was ruled an accident.
Hoffman Estates police said O’Connell appeared to have slipped and fallen before he was found dead.
Last fall and winter, 47 deaths were found to be at least partially cold-related between Oct. 1, 2017, and April 1, 2018, according to the medical examine’s office. More than 250 people have died of cold-related causes in Cook County since 2006.
