TEMPE, Ariz. — There's an investigation underway in Tempe after a Wells Fargo employee died while on the job. A new timeline released by police suggests her body was there for four days before being discovered.
"It's really heartbreaking and I'm thinking, 'What if I were just sitting there?'" a worker said. "No one would check on me?"
The body was found inside the Wells Fargo corporate office in Tempe. An associate who spoke with 12News anonymously said the situation is troubling.
"To hear she's been sitting at the desk like that would make me feel sick," the worker said. "And nobody did anything. That's how she spent her last moments."
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Empleados están preocupados luego de que una mujer fuera encontrada muerta en su escritorio en las oficinas de Wells Fargo en Tempe
Tempe police confirmed with 12News that on Aug. 16, 60-year-old Denise Prudhomme scanned into work at the building at 7 a.m. On Aug. 20, building security called authorities after finding an unresponsive worker. Officers arrived and confirmed that Prudhomme was dead.
Another employee who spoke with 12News anonymously said a colleague found Prudhomme dead at her desk in a cubicle while walking around the building.
Prudhomme's cubicle was reportedly on the third floor and away from the main aisle.
That employee said several people smelled a foul odor but passed it off as faulty plumbing.
They said while most employees at the Wells Fargo office work remotely, the building has 24/7 security and someone should have found Prudhomme sooner.
"That's the scary part. That's the uneasy part," the employee said. "It's negligence in some part."
Police say there's nothing suspicious about the death. The worker said the lack of information from the bank has been especially frustrating.
"I'm just wondering why they didn't formally address employees about it?" the worker said.
A Wells Fargo spokesperson released the following statement to 12News about the incident:
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague at our Tempe office. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and loved ones during this difficult time. Counselors, through our Employee Assistance Consulting service, are available to support our employees. We are fully cooperating with the Tempe Police Department in their investigation and will direct all further questions to them."
The worker though said Wells Fargo needs to do more.
"I just feel like they aren't being transparent with us and somebody needs to acknowledge this," the worker said. "To the family, I'm sorry for their loss. I feel it because I'm thinking about my mom and my mother-in-law and what if that happened to them."
The other employee said their direct management addressed the incident, offered the counseling services and told workers the building was thoroughly cleaned.
Police said the initial investigation did not show any signs of foul play. The Tempe Police Criminal Investigations Bureau is working with the Maricopa County medical examiner to determine the cause of death.
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