Ross police, state investigate how woman, 82, ended up dead outside personal care home

Ross police and the state Department of Human Services are investigating how an 82-year-old personal care home resident ended up dead outside the facility.

Nancy Lee Tyler’s body was found around 11 a.m. Sunday in the 900 block of Forest Avenue near Mt. Assisi Place, a personal care facility on Ross’ Quaill Avenue where she lived, Ross police Deputy Chief Brian Kohlhepp said.

Tyler was a grandmother of 16 and a great-grandmother of 14, according to her obituary.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office on Monday declared Tyler’s cause of death as heart disease. Her death was ruled an accident.

Kohlhepp told TribLive that hypothermia contributed to Tyler’s death.

He said that criminal charges were unlikely.

The high temperature in Glenshaw, the closest weather station, was 36 degrees on Sunday, with a low of 20 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

Human services officials on Tuesday confirmed that Tyler’s death had been reported to them and that department officials “are actively investigating.”

“The Department of Human Services (DHS) takes reports and complaints about the safety of individuals in licensed facilities very seriously and we work to ensure that any potential violations that put people at risk are handled urgently,” said spokesman Brandon Cwalina, in a prepared statement.

“We cannot comment further on specific investigations,” he added.

A staff member at Mt. Assisi Place declined to comment on Tuesday afternoon.

Personal care homes provide meals, shelter and help with daily life tasks for elderly people or those with disabilities.

The most recent inspection of Mt. Assisi Place by the human services department occurred last March 30, according to online records.

The home was licensed to house up to 81 people, according to the inspection report. At the time of the inspection it had 51 residents and a total staff of 52.