By Patrick Cooley
WHEATLAND — An 85-year-old Wheatland woman who had reportedly been diagnosed with dementia was found dead within the confines of the Wheatland Tube plant on Sunday afternoon.
Mercer County Coroner J. Bradley McGonigle III identified the woman as Julia Sabulsky, of Riddell Street.
According to a Mercer County 911 dispatcher, Southwest Mercer County Regional police had been looking for her since around 8:30 p.m. Saturday, after the family said she had wandered away from her home. Farrell firefighters also were part of the search.
According to McGonigle, her body was found around 5 p.m. Sunday, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The death was ruled accidental and the cause was hypothermia, he said.
“She had been experiencing symptoms of dementia (according to her family),” McGonigle said. “We believe she walked away and became disoriented.”
He said the gates of Wheatland Tube were locked at 11 p.m. Saturday, and reopened at 6 a.m. Sunday.
