DES PLAINES / OAK LAWN, Ill. (STMW) – The death of one of two suburban women who collapsed while shoveling snow and died Friday have been attributed to cold exposure.

Florence Erickson, 77, fell while shoveling snow outside her home in the 1900 block of Pine St. in Des Plaines, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office. She was pronounced dead at 8:22 a.m. at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.

A Saturday autopsy determined Erickson died from a cerebral hemorrhage, heart condition and cold exposure, according to the medical examiner’s office. The death was ruled an accident.

Des Plaines police were unavailable for comment.

Cold exposure was also possible in the death of a south suburban woman who also became unresponsive while shoveling snow, but a Saturday autopsy determined her death was natural.

Joan Lilek, 64, became unresponsive while shoveling snow outside her home at 9730 Cook Ave. in Oak Lawn, the medical examiner’s office said. She was pronounced dead at 2:17 p.m. at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

A Saturday autopsy determined she died from a heart condition and the death was ruled natural, according to the medical examiner’s office.

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