Coroner: Woman, son died from heat

Clarence Rogers was wearing a telephone headset when discovered.

Excessive heat took the lives of two Cape Girardeau residents found on the floor of their Themis Street home, Cape Girardeau County Coroner John Clifton said Thursday.

Following autopsies, Clifton said he had ruled out foul play in the deaths of Glenda Rogers, who was in her 80s, and her son, Clarence "Roger" Rogers, 63. They were found by a family friend visiting their residence Wednesday afternoon. The friend said she became concerned when she was unable to reach the two by telephone.

Glenda Rogers was found in the dining room of the home, and Clarence Rogers, who could not walk because of a stroke, was found on the living room floor out of his wheelchair, Clifton said.

The most likely scenario in the deaths, Clifton said, was that Glenda Rogers collapsed and her son left his wheelchair to come to her aid before succumbing to the heat.

The busy signal that alerted the family friend to the problem was likely caused by Clarence Rogers being unable to complete a call for help, Clifton said. Clarence Rogers had a telephone headset on when he was found, Clifton said.

No temperature readings were taken inside the house, Clifton said. Windows in the home were kept shut tight by Glenda Rogers to prevent any outside irritants from aggravating her son's asthma. The home had no air conditioning.

The bodies were found about 5 p.m. Wednesday. Intense heat, prompting warnings from state health officials and weather forecasters, had been baking the region for most of a week. A cool front passed through the area early Wednesday morning, but it made little difference inside the Rogers home, Clifton said.

"I know from being in the house about 7:30 or 8 o'clock, when we removed the bodies, that it was still very, very hot inside," Clifton said.

The coroner said he can't be sure how long the two were dead before they were found. "With temperatures that severe, there is no way to determine how long they had been there," he said.

A Cape Girardeau County public health nurse, responding to the deaths, said the description of conditions in the Rogers home is a recipe for trouble during a heat wave. Glenda and Clarence Rogers had fans but little else to keep them cool.

"Those fans were recirculating that hot, stale air, and they weren't doing a bit of good," said Carol Jordan, a registered nurse with the county health department.

Under some conditions, fans can speed dehydration. "If you are going to do that, have the windows open so you are not recirculating the hot air," she said.

To help lower body temperatures in the absence of air conditioning, Jordan said, placing ice in a wet towel against a person's neck, underarms or groin can be effective.

And water surpasses almost any other liquid to replace fluids lost due to sweating. Juice and carbonated beverages, especially those with caffeine or alcohol, are of limited use to combat dehydration, she said.

Sports drinks are better than many beverages, she said, "but water is still the first thing you want to reach for."

Clarence Rogers' asthma was his mother's reason for keeping the windows shut tight, said the friend who found the two. Jordan cautioned that anyone with asthma should be careful about whether they keep their windows shut in hot weather if they do not have air conditioning.

Asthma patients should consult their doctor about what causes their attacks, "and weigh that against the risks of a 110-degree heat index and no fresh air," she said. "I would say open the windows."

During the recent heat wave, the county health department opened a cooling center in conjunction with the American Red Cross at the Osage Community Centre on North Kingshighway. If excessive heat returns, Jordan said, the county will determine whether such a center is needed again based on alerts from the state Department of Health and Senior Services.

rkeller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126