Sequoias resident died of heart disease, not E. coli, coroner says Sequoias resident died of heart disease, not E. coli, coroner says (December 03, 2003)

The cause of death of Mildred Gonzalez, a recent resident of The Sequoias retirement community in Portola Valley who was hospitalized during the E. coli outbreak at the complex in October, was determined to be heart disease, the San Mateo County coroner said November 28. Ms. Gonzalez died October 28 at the age of 96.

Ms. Gonzalez was hospitalized and later released during the E. coli outbreak at The Sequoias that was suspected of striking more than 40 people, but she died before the outbreak was declared over by the county public health department.

Alice McWalter, another hospitalized Sequoias resident, died during the outbreak from complications related to an E. coli infection. A definitive determination of the cause of Ms. Gonzalez's death required analysis by the state.

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