34 Deaths in Howell Co. for October 24

The Howell County Coroner's Office attended 10 of the 34 deaths in the county in the month of October 2024, according to county records. The remaining 24 deaths were attended by hospice, nursing facilities, or a combination of both. 

 

Of the ten deaths attended by Coroner Tim Cherry, nine were determined to be caused by cardiac arrest and one by myocardial infarction. Cancer was the primary cause of death for those on hospice and in nursing facilities, with brain cancer being the most common -- responsible for two deaths. The other cancers were of the colon, esophagus, prostate, liver, and vulva. Of the deaths attended by Cherry, six were at the decedent’s home and four were at medical facilities.  

 

For those in nursing homes, a single cause of death is not listed but instead, a list of their medical conditions. Most common among these were Alzheimer's disease and dementia, with the former being listed for two deaths and the latter cited in six deaths. 

 

The most common age for the deceased in October were people in their 70s, with eight of those occurring in hospice or nursing facilities, one at the decedent's home, and one in the emergency room. The youngest death was a man in his 30s and the oldest death was of a woman in her 90s.

 

The most common factor in the medical history of the deceased under the age of 50 was a history of alcoholism. There is a well-studied connection between alcohol use and an increase in a person's risk of heart attack.