Family finishes RV trip with grandmother's body
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
MICHAEL ROLLINS and JOHN SNELL
The Oregonian Staff
HILLSBORO -- An Arkansas family trying to fulfill an ailing grandmother's last request arrived in Hillsboro early Sunday with the grandmother's body in the back of their recreational vehicle, police said.
The woman apparently died in Wyoming, and her family completed the trip.
The 79-year-old woman, who lived in Oroville, Calif., suffered from advanced kidney disease and wished to see her family before she died, Hillsboro Police Lt. Michael Rouches said.
Rouches said the woman's family picked her up in Oroville, drove her to visit family in Arkansas and were on their way to see other family in Hillsboro when she died.
The woman was last seen alive by the family about 3 a.m. Saturday near Laramie, Wyo., he said.
"We believe they were about 1,100 miles from Hillsboro when she passed away," Rouches said. "We believe they were in Wyoming. That's based on gas receipts."
Rouches said the woman's doctors told family members the frail grandmother might not survive the trip.
Hillsboro police were called about 9 a.m. Sunday.
Rouches emphasized that the death was not a police matter, despite its seemingly unusual nature, because no law had been broken. Because it was not a police matter, Rouches did not release the woman's name.
"People die every day," Rouches said. This could happen more frequently than we know." He said Hillsboro police were called by family members who drove her to Oregon because they wanted to report the death to authorities.
"We're a first responder," he said. "If you have a problem, you call the police, the fire department or an ambulance. They could have called an ambulance, but what's the point? The person was already deceased. Calling the cops is the default position."
Rouches said the situation is being examined by detectives but added that he didn't expect any action to be taken. He said the family routinely traveled together, and there is no reason to suspect foul play.
"I've looked through all the Oregon statutes," he said. "This is not a crime."