By Ashley Luthern
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
MILWAUKEE — The possible cold-weather death of a 40-year-old Milwaukee woman remained under investigation Thursday with a final cause of death pending toxicology results.
Janet R. Johnson was discovered by Milwaukee police about 6:15 a.m. Wednesday in the 3500 block of W. Clarke St. Officers had been sent to the area for a report of gunfire and found Johnson crawling on the street, cold to the touch and mumbling, according to reports released Thursday by the Milwaukee County medical examiner’s office.
According to those records:
Johnson’s pants were partially pulled down, and authorities have noted a common side effect of hypothermia is removing clothing, known as paradoxical undressing. She also was found with drug paraphernalia.
Detectives learned that Johnson, a chronic cocaine user, was released from jail about 9 a.m. Tuesday and went to Wisconsin Community Services, 3732 W. Wisconsin Ave., to find a home placement. From there, Johnson was taken to the United Community Center and was supposed to become an inpatient at the facility, but instead she was evaluated and discharged, the detective told medical investigators.
Johnson’s father took her back to Wisconsin Community Services, where she stayed until about 2 p.m. Tuesday, when she left to go to Walgreens. She did not return.
When officers found her the next day, they called Milwaukee Fire Department paramedics who tried to revive her. She was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead at 9:09 a.m. Wednesday. Her body temperature was about 80 degrees, and medical investigators say complications of hypothermia have not been ruled out as a cause of death.
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