Tragic Loss as Winter Storm Claims Lives in NYC

A 90-year-old woman was among ten unfortunate fatalities in New York City during a severe winter storm over the weekend, according to local residents.

Doreen Ellis, who had dementia, reportedly left her Brooklyn apartment in the Crown Heights area late at night. She was found deceased in the backyard of a neighboring building on Monday morning, as confirmed by family and neighbors.

“She had wandered out before, but that was during summer. I can’t imagine anyone going outside in this kind of cold,” said neighbor Junior Sharp. “She just got lost.”

Sharp mentioned that Ellis was found in a blue nightgown, with only a scarf and a pair of socks. A small white shawl was located nearby as well.

During a press conference on Tuesday, New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani confirmed the ten deaths in the city as much of the U.S. experienced sub-zero temperatures. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner later clarified that six fatalities occurred on Friday night, with another on Saturday night.

“We still need to see if all cases will be categorized as hypothermia,” Mamdani stated. “But it’s essential for New Yorkers to look out for one another during this extreme cold. We’ve not seen temperatures this low in eight years.”

The National Weather Service has also issued warnings about another potential winter storm that may impact areas along the East Coast this weekend. They noted that temperatures might reach record lows in some regions, resulting in perhaps the longest cold spell seen in decades.

In addition to the local tragedies, officials across various states grappling with severe cold have reported at least 50 deaths. This includes incidents such as two individuals struck by snowplows in Massachusetts and Ohio, two teens who lost their lives sledding in Arkansas and Texas, and a man found in his unheated home in the Indianapolis area.