Cause of Death Revealed for Wells Fargo Worker Found Dead at Desk 4 Days After Clocking In

Mar. 15, 2025

Wells Fargo office in Tempe, Arizona.Photo:Google maps

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The cause of death has been revealed for the Wells Fargo employee who wasfound dead at her deskfour days after she clocked into work.

Prudhomme had scanned into the building on Friday, Aug. 16, at about 7a.m., “and there is no further scan in or out," Tempe Police said.

According to the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner, she died of a “sudden cardiac death in the setting of myocardial fibrosis,” which refers to scarring of the heart muscles. Her manner of death was listed as natural.

Cardiac death occurs when “the heart stops beating or is not beating sufficiently to maintain perfusion and life,” according to theNational Library of Medicine.

In late August, Wells Fargo toldUSA Todaythat Prudhomme was sitting in a “very underpopulated area” of the office when she died.

An unnamed employee said multiple people claimed to have smelled a “foul odor” in the office, but “passed it off as faulty plumbing,” according toNBC affiliate KPNX. The building has 24/7 security, though most employees work remotely.

In their initial statement, Tempe Police said “the preliminary investigation did not show any obvious signs of foul play” in connection with Prudhomme’s death.

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“Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones, and we are in contact to ensure they are well-supported during this difficult time,” their statement added.

In the weeks following her death, a union that represents Wells Fargo workersslammed the company for Prudhomme’s “unnoticed death.”

“This may be one of the reasons why her desk was located in an underpopulated area in the building and nobody checked on her for four days,” the union continued, per the outlets. “Wells Fargo monitors our every move and keystroke using remote, electronic technologies…however, Denise went unnoticed at her desk for four days.”

“The contradictory nature of electronic surveillance versus an unnoticed death sheds light on the reality of what it means to be a worker at Wells Fargo,” they added. (Prudhomme was not a member of the union at the time of her death, the union’s organizing director confirmed to PEOPLE.)

source: people.com