     ACCORDING TO HOSPITAL AND A.C.L.F. RECORDS: THE DECEASED WAS AN INDEPENDENT LIVING RESIDENT OF THE EPWORTH VILLAGE ADULT LIVING FACILITY SINCE AUG. 1, 1995.  SHE HAD A PAST MEDICAL HISTORY OF HYPERTENSION, POORLY CONTROLLED AND DEPRESSION.  SHE WAS ONLY TREATED ONCE AT EPWORTH BY DR. GOLDBERG (885-0515) FOR CHEST PAIN.  AT THAT TIME HER B/P WAS 200/84, PULSE 84 AND RESPIRATION OF 16.  SHE DID NOT RETURN FOR FOLLOW-UP TREATMENT.  
     ON AUG. 20, 1996 THE DECEASED WAS FOUND UNRESPONSIVE BY HER CARETAKER AND FIRE RESCUE TRANSPORTED HER TO PALM SPIRNGS GENERAL HOSPITAL.  SHE ARRIVED IN THE E/R AWAKE, BUT UNRESPONSIVE.  SHE WAS ADMITTED WITH THE DIAGNOSIS OF ALTERED MENTAL STATUS, RULE OUT CVA AND ELECTROLYTE IMBALANCE.  HER VITALS WERE, B/P 180/80, RATE 20, PULSE 104 AND TEMP. 100.  AN EKG REVEALED SINUS TACHYCARDIA, CHEST X-RAY  SHOWED CALCIFICATION IN THE THORACIC AORTA AND DEGENERATIVE THORACIC SPINE CHANGES AND A CT BRAIN SCAN REVEALED SOME MILD ATROPHY AND SOME LEFT VERTEBRAL ARTERY VASCULAR CALCIFICATION.  
     FURTHER DIAGNOSIS REVEALED ADULT RESPIRATORY  FAILURE, SEPSIS AND LETHARGY/UNRESPONSIVENESS.  HER PROGNOSIS WAS POOR.  ON AUG. 21, 1996 SHE WENT INTO CARDIAC ARREST AT 10:42 AM AND CPR WAS INITIATED.  AN EXTERNAL PACER WAS PLACED AT 10:55 AM WITHOUT SUCCESS AND SHE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT 11:09 AM.
     WHILE AT PALM SPRINGS HOSPITAL THE DECEASED WAS UNDER THE CARE OF DR. ING WHO ADVISED THE MEDICAL EXAMINER DEPARTMENT THAT HE HAD SPOKEN WITH A NEIGHBOR OF THE DECEASED.  THE NEIGHBOR ADVISED HIM THAT THE DECEASED HAD FAMILY IN ARIZONA.  SHE HAD BEEN DEPRESSED OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS WITH DEMINISHED HYGIENE AND WAS STAYING HOME MORE AND SHE MAY HAVE SENT AWAY FOR A BOOK ON HOW TO COMMIT SUICIDE.  DR. ING FURTHER ADVISED THAT UPON ADMISSION HER INITIAL DRUG SCREEN WAS NEGATIVE.  SHE WAS ALSO STATUS POST COLOSTOMY DUE TO DIVERTICULITIS, BUT HAD NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL HISTORY.  
