Freezing weather may have claimed a second life in Athens

By Joe Johnson

A homeless woman who was found dead last week outside of an Atlanta Highway business could be the second victim of the recent severe cold weather in Athens.

The still-unidentified woman was found the morning of January 27th by an employee of American Pest Control in the rear parking lot of the business.

There were no indications of alcohol or drug abuse, according to County Coroner Michael Eberhart, who noted that she died when temperatures were below freezing.

The following day police responded to a homeless camp off of Old Hull Road on a report that 22-year-old Deqavious Ragsdale was deceased inside a tent.

The man who called 911 had allowed Ragsdale to spend the night when he showed up at the camp the day before looking for a place to stay.

Police indicated that drugs and the sub-freezing weather were contributing factors in his death.

“It appears he may have used fentanyl and then succumbed to the environmental conditions,” a police officer stated in a report.

Autopsies to confirm the cause of death were to be conducted in both cases at the state medical examiner’s office.