Wells Fargo – Source: NurPhoto / Getty
Arizona police are investigating after a Wells Fargo employee was found dead at her desk over four days after clocking in for her shift.
Unfortunately, loss of life in the workplace is ordinary in high-risk jobs but in most jobs, it’s the least of an employee’s worries, especially while working at a bank.
According to KTLA, a Tempe Arizona Wells Fargo employee passed away while working inside her cubicle. Perhaps the most shocking part of 60-year-old Denise Prudhomme’s death was the fact that she clocked in on August 16 and wasn’t discovered deceased until August 20.
Prudhomme was found on the third floor of the building, in a cubicle that was not in a main walkway, and there were no immediate signs of foul play.
An anonymous source told ABC News 12 employees noticed a vulgar aroma and chalked it up to plumbing issues until another employee uncovered the body.
“It’s really heartbreaking, and I’m thinking, ‘What if I were just sitting there?’” another worker, who also requested anonymity, told ABC News 12. “To hear she’s been sitting at the desk like that would make me feel sick,” the employee added. “And nobody did anything. That’s how she spent her last moments.”
As expected the news quickly circulated across national news as people challenged how someone could be dead on the job for days. Wells Fargo addressed the situation in a statement before backlash amassed.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague at our Tempe office,” the company told the outlet in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
The situation is very unfortunate, but someone must be held responsible for their lack of awareness. Four days without noticing a dead body is egregious.
