June 17, 2005

Woman found dead; probe continuing

       Police are investigating the death of a 20-year-old Greenwood woman, who died while spending the night at a friend’s apartment.  Preliminary autopsy results do not show a cause of death for Danielle R. Hall, a former Indian Creek High School student, Johnson County Coroner David Lutz said. Hall was found dead in the living room chair of her friend’s apartment in the 1100 block of Stonehedge East Drive.  The apartment’s resident, Lacie Menslage, 20, called 911 at 9:57 a.m. Monday when she noticed that Hall was not breathing and her feet had turned blue.  Menslage told police that Hall said she had taken some pills but did not say what kind.  Preliminary autopsies typically do not show a cause of death if a person died by drug overdose, Lutz said. Investigators will have to wait four to 12 weeks for toxicology reports to determine if Hall died of an accidental drug overdose, Lutz said. A preliminary autopsy showed no signs of injury to Hall’s body, Lutz said.

         Hall arrived at the apartment about 4 p.m. Sunday, according to police reports. She had lived at the apartment with Menslage off and on, Greenwood police Chief Joe Pitcher said.  After getting to the apartment, Hall drifted in and out of sleep all night, police reports said. Menslage woke up about 5 a.m. and noticed Hall was breathing with shallow breaths.  Menslage went back to bed and woke up about 9 a.m. to take her dog for a walk and get breakfast at a fast-food restaurant.  She brought the breakfast back to the apartment, and when she sat down to eat, she noticed Hall was not breathing and her feet were blue, police reports said. She dialed 911. Greenwood police and White River medics arrived at the apartment, and Hall was pronounced dead at the scene.  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)
 
 

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