Dangerous Heat Conditions are to Blame in Death of Lovely Man

By Roberta Cantrell
BSN Editor

One death has been reported in Martin County due to temperatures rising over the holiday weekend.

Fleming Hurley, 92, of Lovely, was pronounced dead by Martin County Coroner Chris Todd, due to “acute respiratory failure and complications of hyperthermia from extreme heat conditions” after he was discovered on the kitchen floor of his residence on Riverfront Road Monday evening, July 5.

A report stated that the property owner initiated a welfare check call asking officers from the MC Sheriff’s Office to check on Hurley because he hadn’t been seen in several days and a large number of flies could be seen from the windows of the mobile home.

When MC Sheriff John Kirk arrived at Hurley’s residence, he reported the front door being open and a dead dog lying next to the storm door.

After calling for the coroner and waiting for him to arrive the sheriff entered the home.

He reported discovering Hurley deceased in the kitchen and along one deceased dog, they found another dog, a female cat and four kittens near death that were removed from the home and given food and water and placed in kennels with fans.

Kirk also reported seeing a new air-conditioner on the porch that hadn’t been installed saying inside the home there was only a small AC in the bedroom sitting on the floor and a box fan in the hallway.

Hurley had no family that were local and police were able to locate a son in Alabama, who said he had not spoken with his dad in several years.

He was transported to a local funeral home and no autopsy was ordered.