LANCASTER — A Garrard County woman whose body was found on her porch this summer died of an accidential drug overdose, officials said.
Angela “Ann” Salata, 47, was found dead on the porch of her 118 Ridgecrest Drive home on July 10, said state Trooper Paul Blanton. She had been dead for several days; the level of decomposition of her body due to the length of time she was dead as well as the July heat wave made conducting an autopsy lengthier and much more difficult than usual, said Garrard Coroner Daryl Hodge.
Salata had chronic health conditions that required her to take medications, Hodge said. The autopsy reported that alcohol along with unusually high levels of the anti-anxiety drug diazepam or Valium and the painkiller methadone was the primary cause of Salata’s death.
“Her health conditions as well as the heat wave of that time also contributed to Mrs. Salata’s death, but the primary cause was an accidential prescription drug overdose combined with alcohol,” Hodge said.
Officials believe Salata’s body was undiscovered for several days because she was living alone at the time of her death and the height of her house’s porch made it difficult for other people to see the body. Only when Salata’s sister stopped by to check on her was the body discovered, Hodge said.
“This was a really unfortunate situation,” Hodge said.
