Roseville police: 96-year-old woman dies after wandering away from home in freezing temps

Woman found dead on school playground

ROSEVILLE, Mich. – A 96-year-old woman died Tuesday after she wandered away from her home in the freezing temperatures, Roseville police said. 

Officers were dispatched to Dort Elementary School about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday after the woman was found lying on the school playground. Officers found the woman dressed only in a nightgown, robe and slippers. 

Police said she lived alone in the neighborhood. Family members told police she recently had been diagnosed with early onset dementia. 

Investigators believe she became confused at some point during the night and decided to leave her home. 

The Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled the death accidental due to cold weather exposure.