90-year-old woman dies after being locked out in cold

DETROIT – A 90-year-old Michigan woman was found dead this week after getting locked out of her home in the cold, according to a report from WOOD-TV. 

Ada Salna died of hypothermia, the TV station reported. Blood loss from a cut contributed to her death.

Salna was found covered with snow on the steps of her home at about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday near Three Rivers in St. Joseph County, WOOD-TV reported. She was last seen alive Tuesday afternoon. 

WOOD-TV said Salna was feeding birds and her cats when she got locked out. The temperature in Three Rivers dipped to minus-15 before Salna's body was discovered, according to the TV station. Wind chills were between minus-40 and minus-45 degrees.

At least three other deaths in Michigan are believed to be linked to this week's stretch of record-breaking cold weather. 

John Duda, 60, was found dead Wednesday afternoon outside n East Lansing, according to WILX-TV. 

In Detroit, police said a 70-year-old man may have frozen to death. The man, whose name was not immediately released, was discovered at about 8 a.m. Wednesday near his home.

In Ecorse, 70-year-old Gary Sammons, a former city council member and teacher, was found dead near a neighbor's house.

The snow and bitterly cold weather that gripped the Midwest and Northeast this week is believed to be connected to at least 27 deaths. 

The Associated Press and USA Today contributed to this report. 

Follow Ann Zaniewski on Twitter: @AnnZaniewski. 

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