Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Violent Crimes Branch are conducting an investigation into the death of two occupants who were discovered deceased Saturday inside of an apartment building located at 3709 13th Street, NW.
At approximately 9:21 AM on Saturday, December 15, 2007, police were called to a second floor apartment inside of the above location to check on the welfare of a family member. Upon entering the apartment, a woman believed to be in her 80s, was discovered lying on the floor in an apparent unconscious condition. D.C.F.D. emergency medical personnel responded to the scene but could find no signs consistent with life. The decedent who has been identified as 86-year-old Pearl White Holloway of the above address was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 11:38 AM by a representative from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia.
While responding to that scene, officials were alerted to the report of a strange odor coming from a first floor apartment. Upon making entry to that apartment, a woman also believed to be a senior citizen, was found in an apparent unconscious condition lying on the floor. That decedent was also subsequently pronounced dead by a representative from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia at approximately 12:20 PM. Her name is being withheld at this time pending the proper notification of the next-of-kin.
As a precautionary measure, the building was subsequently evacuated as emergency personnel checked for possible hazardous conditions. A preliminary test proved negative for the presence of Carbon Monoxide. However, a gas leak was detected and was addressed by the appropriate officials.
At this time there is no evidence to suggest that these deaths are connected in anyway, nor are any signs of foul play initially apparent. However, these cases remain under investigation as the exact cause and manner of death in these incidents will be determined pending the results of autopsies to be conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia.