Few things are as genuinely terrifying to me as this upcoming story. Per PEOPLE, 60-year-old Denise Prudhomme was found dead in her cubicle at a Wells Fargo. It took four days for anyone to realize that she died. "We can confirm Denise was a Wells Fargo employee. Denise last scanned into the building on [Friday, Aug. 16] at approximately 7am and there is no further scan in or out," Tempe police verified.
"The preliminary investigation did not show any obvious signs of foul play," police stated. "We have no further information at this time as this is an ongoing investigation." Her cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner's office.
Additionally, Prudhomme sat in a "very underpopulated area" of the office. An unidentified employee stated that a few people had smelled a "foul odor," but dismissed it as "faulty plumbing." The building has 24/7 security, though most of the employees at that location work remotely. Wells Fargo addressed Prudhomme's passing in a statement.
Wells Fargo is "deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague, Denise Prudhomme. Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones, and we are in contact to ensure they are well-supported during this difficult time. We are committed to the safety and wellness of our workforce and are reviewing our own internal procedures after this event. Counselors are available to support any employees impacted by this event."
A Wells Fargo Employee Dies At The Job But Doesn't Get Discovered For Four Days
I find this story particularly haunting. There's something so horrendous about a person dying while they're working and nobody knowing for four days. Denise didn't get the dignity of being surrounded by friends or loved ones. A security guard just happened to find her on the third floor.
Please prioritize yourself and your loved ones over your job. It's not just the fact that you could technically be fired at any moment for any reason a company can come up with. But also, Denise could've been any of us. In the end, she got a statement from Wells Fargo itself, and that's that. Life's too unpredictable to spend it obsessing over these impersonal institutions and businesses.
