Man Found Dead in Hospital Coffee Shop Sat Unnoticed for Over 3 Hours: Reports

Mar. 15, 2025

Sandwell General Hospital in West Bromwich, England.Photo:Alamy

Alamy

A man reportedly died in a hospital coffee shop in England more than three hours before anyone realized.

The Sunday Timesreported that the man didn’t move after 1.30 p.m. local time but medical staff and members of the public continued to go about their day around him.

A security guard reportedly tried to wake the man at around 4.45 p.m. before doctors attempted to resuscitate him, according toThe Sunday Times. However, rigor mortis had already set in, which suggested he’d been dead for multiple hours at that point.

Per theNational Institutes of Health, rigor mortis “is the post-mortem stiffening of muscles.”

Sandwell General Hospital in West Bromwich, England.David Jones - PA Images/PA Images via Getty

David Jones - PA Images/PA Images via Getty

The incident happened in a region of the U.K. known as theBlack Country, which gained its name during the 19th Century when the area was regularly filled with smoke and soot from the many coal mines and ironworks set up during the Industrial Revolution.

A spokesperson for the Black Country Coroners Service told PEOPLE in a statement that they could “confirm that the coroner has received notification of this death” but added that it was currently “unable to provide any information.”

Per the BBC, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust is currently looking into the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.

The Sunday Timesstated the man had been treated at the hospital before being referred to Hallam Street Hospital, which is an adult mental health facility, across the road.

“We are investigating the circumstances around the sad, sudden death of a man on our hospital site. The coroner has been informed,” a Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust spokesperson told PEOPLE.

Stock image of a Costa coffee store.John Smith/Shutterstock

John Smith/Shutterstock

The Black Country Coroners Service toldThe Sunday Times, “The cause of death is yet to be ascertained hence why no inquest has yet been opened."

“The coroner will make a decision based on the reports as to whether an inquest is required,” the coroner’s service added.

A Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson told PEOPLE they were “deeply saddened to hear of the passing of a patient,” adding, “We are currently investigating the circumstances around this incident. Our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time.”

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Chief executive of the Patients Association, Rachel Power, toldThe Sunday Times, “Hospitals are a place where people should feel safe and if their health deteriorates, that staff will take care of them in a timely fashion. But the system is now so under pressure that it seems some patients are simply being overlooked.”

The report comes afterPEOPLE reported last weekthat a Wells Fargo employee had been found dead in her cubicle four days after she clocked into work in Tempe, Arizona.

Wells Fargo told PEOPLE in a statement, “We are committed to the safety and wellness of our workforce and are reviewing our own internal procedures after this event.”

source: people.com