Cook County records seventh weather-related death as cold snap eases

Two new cold weather deaths have brought the total number of confirmed or suspected Cook County weather deaths to seven since a snowstorm and frigid temperatures swept through the Midwest, officials said Wednesday.

Police said Vanda Parish, 66, of the North Center neighborhood, was found unresponsive outside her home Tuesday morning and pronounced dead at Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital. An autopsy found that Parish died of injuries related to a fall down the stairs and hypothermia.

Thomas Kapala, 62, of the Mount Greenwood neighborhood, died Monday night of heart disease, diabetes and cold exposure, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Police said that Kapala was initially found unresponsive in his garage.

Authorities suspect that weather played a contributing factor to five other deaths since Jan. 11.

Richard Kellinger, 73, of Streamwood, died Jan. 12 of heart disease and complications of hypothermia.

Robert Tuxford, 62, of Oak Lawn, died Jan. 12 of heart…