Woman found dead in South Shore is Cook County’s 15th cold-related death

A woman found dead Wednesday morning in the South Shore neighborhood is the 15th cold-related death in Cook County this season.

Officers flagged down by Department of Streets and Sanitation employees found 57-year-old Doris White unresponsive about 7:40 a.m. in the 2900 block of East 79th Street, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.

White was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:53 a.m., authorities said. Her home address was unknown.

An autopsy Thursday found White died of chronic ethanolism and cold exposure, the medical examiner’s office said. Her death was ruled an accident.

Fourteen other cold-related deaths have been recorded in Cook County since Oct. 23, 2017, according to records maintained by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Last winter, at least 27 cold-related deaths were reported, according to authorities. The first cold-related death of the 2017-2017 season was reported Oct. 22, 2016.