Investigators have ruled out foul play in the disappearance and death of a San Francisco hospital patient who was found at the bottom of one of the hospital’s stairwells this Tuesday.
57-year-old Lynne Spalding was found dead at the bottom of a rarely used fire exit stairwell in San Francisco General Hospital earlier this week in an incident that is baffling investigators. The San Francisco Gate reports that Spalding would have had to walk through busy hallways, past frequently-used doors, and through a door that triggered an alarm when opened in order to access the stairwell that she was found in.
Family spokesman David Perry reportedly said that the coroner has not determined a time of death or figured out why Spalding died. They have, however, ruled out foul play in her death.
Spalding had been missing for 17 days before her body was found on Tuesday, reports the San Francisco Gate. She was admitted to the hospital on September 19 with a urinary tract infection but went missing only two days later.
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee announced in a press conference that the city has hired a special consultant to investigate Spalding’s death, reports Mercury News. They will be conducting a thorough investigation of the hospital’s security and search procedures.
"This should not have happened, and we all agree, and we want to prevent it from happening again," Lee told reporters.
He promised to keep Spalding’s family up to date with information as the investigation continues.