On 12/13/2013 at approximately 4:55 am, deputies were dispatched to assist the fire department on a medical call with a subject who had difficulty breathing at an address on Drake Road in Guerneville.
At approximately 5:09 am, deputies arrived on scene and attempted to make contact with someone inside by knocking on the door and checking the exterior of the residence/trailer. Deputies broke a window to the residence and noticed that a television was on and there was a telephone on a bed.
They again attempted verbal contact but received no reply. The deputies were unable to see anyone in the residence when they looked through the window.
The deputies on scene believed there was nobody inside the residence and left a note on the window advising that they had broken the window and to contact them about the damage that was done. The deputies then left the scene.
On 12/15/2013 at approximately 1:00 pm, deputies received a call that there was a deceased female at the same address they had responded to on 12/13/2013. Deputies arrived on scene and contacted the victim’s daughter and several neighbors who were upset with the fact that the deputies left a note on the broken window but did not go inside and check on the now deceased subject.
This death is currently under investigation by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Office.
In addition to the death investigation there is currently an internal investigation into this incident to specifically address if proper policy and procedures were followed in the initial call.
