‘Did nobody miss her?’: South Africans dismayed by story of bank employee who died at work and was found four whole days later

South Africans said working at financial institutions can cause severe stress and lead to health issues. Picture: Pexels

South Africans said working at financial institutions can cause severe stress and lead to health issues. Picture: Pexels

Published Sep 3, 2024

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Denise Prudhomme who worked at Wells Fargo (a US bank) died inside her place of work and was not discovered by anyone until four days later.

South Africans asked the hard question: Where were her colleagues? Are there no cleaners in that building? What about friends and family? And what about the smell?

According to Crime Scene Cleanup: “A detectable decomposition smell begins within 24-48 hours as putrefaction (the decay of organic matter) sets in and intensifies any time between four to 10 days, depending on the conditions.”

Facebook user Jacqueline Fitzgerald passed on her condolences to the 60-year-old’s family and friends. “This is so sad to read,” she posted.

Agreeing with Fitzgerald’s comments that this is a sad situation, Elziza Gomes added: “It proves that she was just a number there.”

However, Dion Black argued that there must be a more rational option.

“Remember that the 16th was Friday so that’s why maybe the person was missed. People leave early on Friday and Monday passed until Tuesday. So, if it was during the week, they could have found the body maybe after a day,” wrote Black.

Cetshwayo kaMpande pointed the whole industry as having something wrong with it, posting: “That means there’s something wrong with these finance, auditing and some law firms and institutions. People who work there are a wreck.

“It just proves how much you are valued by your employers and colleagues. Sad reality,” Nareshka Lalu commented.

Proving that it may not be a rare occurrence, Belinda Boucher Deeflets also sadly admitted that her father died from a heart attack at financial institution.

Other users expressed their sympathy over the harrowing news.

Gail Crossman Ferguson said her husband nearly met the same fate. “He collapsed on a Friday afternoon. His office door was closed, so no one was aware of the predicament.

“Around 8pm that evening, he managed to get to a phone and call me. I realised something was wrong when he could not talk properly.”

She added that she had to drive to the city with her father to fetch him. “Doctor said he was borderline on having a heart attack. I think the stress got to him.”

Meanwhile, Willie Opperman questioned the absurdity of it all. “Did nobody miss her? Not even her family?”

With the unanswered questions, Onikwa Mpomela said something is wrong in that company. They asked where the manager and security personnel were?

Another user going by Chappie Chappie, also reiterated that seemingly, not a single colleague checked up on her. “I always greeted everyone in my department at a bare minimum and that includes cleaners and general assistants. I certainly do not want to work for a company where the staff are that impersonal or uncaring. May she rest in peace.”

Reign Nkosi Sibeko simply posted that she is sure that Prudhomme’s position had been filled already.

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