The Hurricane Ida evacuee who died at an Amelia shelter this weekend was from Terrebonne Parish.
The woman was 62 years old. Her name hasn't been released because St. Mary Parish officials have not notified all next of kin.
The woman came to the shelter with a friend, who also was staying at the shelter. No foul play is suspected; the lady had some underlying health conditions, said St. Mary Parish OHSEP Director David Naquin. They woke up early, and then she laid down for a while, went to sleep and didn't wake up, he said.
The lady was negative for COVID, he said. The shelter has a protocol that tests all guests and workers at least twice weekly, and quarantine protocols as well, he said.
There are about 300 people in the shelter now, he said, down from about 400 at its peak.
We reached out to the Red Cross, who is in charge of the shelter, about the death. They sent us this:
The American Red Cross would like to extend our sincerest condolences for the individual who passed away yesterday. We understand that this is another upsetting event on top of the devastation and challenges left behind by Hurricane Ida just a few short weeks ago. Red Cross volunteers trained in mental health and spiritual care are available for anyone needing someone to talk with.
