3 South Side Cold-Weather Deaths Bring Season's Total To 22

CHICAGO, IL — The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled additional cold weather deaths, bringing the total to 22 for the fall and winter season.

On Jan.19, a 69-year-old man was found dead in the 9200 block of South 84th Avenue in Hickory Hills. He was identified as Robert Williams. The medical examiner said that Wiliams died as a result of blunt force injuries to the head most likely due to a probable fall with contributing factors of hypertensive cardiovascular disease and exposure to the cold.

The medical examiner determined that 59-year-old Thomas Bialka died as a result of combined cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and despropionyl fentanyl (4-ANPP) toxicity with probable cold exposure as a contributing factor. The death has been ruled an accident. Bialka was found Dec. 19 in the 8600 block of South Pulaski Road in Chicago’s Ashburn neighborhood. Autopsy results were pending due to toxicology results.

A man pronounced dead on Oct. 29 at the University of Chicago Medical Center. The medical examiner said Leonard Holman, 42, died as a result of hypothermia due to cold exposure. His death was ruled an accident.