At around 7 a.m. on a Friday, Denise Prudhomme scanned into her Wells Fargo job, housed in a corporate office in Tempe, Ariz. She was found dead in her cubicle four days later.
Prudhomme, 60, was pronounced dead by police on Tuesday, Aug. 20, at 4:55 p.m, the Tempe Police Department told Fortune. She had not scanned out of the building since Friday. While the investigation is still open, the police don’t see any “obvious” indicators of foul play, officers explained.
Officers added that Prudhomme's family had been notified of her death. The cause remains unclear, and a message left with the medical examiner's office was not immediately returned.
Asked for comment, Wells Fargo sent Fortune the same prepared statement shared with other outlets. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague, Denise Prudhomme,” the company said, adding it is “committed to the safety and wellness of our workforce.”
Wells Fargo continued: “Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones, and we are in contact to ensure they are well-supported during this difficult time.” The company added that it is reviewing “internal procedures” and providing counselors to those impacted.
Employees are, understandably, feeling shaken. "It's really heartbreaking and I'm thinking, 'What if I were just sitting there?'" a worker told local television station KPNX. "No one would check on me?" Indeed, the tragedy of a worker being found at her desk nearly five days after clocking in feels so corporately callous it enters the realm of surreal.
Prudhomme’s cubicle was reportedly on the third floor of the building, away from a main aisle. That’s where she was found, according to USA Today. Explaining why it took four days to discover the body, Wells Fargo told the outlet that Prudhomme’s desk was located in a "very underpopulated area."
Building security had called the police department on Tuesday, after the week was well underway. According to employee accounts reported by KPXN, a colleague had found Prudhomme after several people had reported smelling a foul odor. While most employees work remotely, the building is staffed with constant security, according to the outlet.
"That's the scary part. That's the uneasy part," the employee told a local publication of the blind eye turned. "It's negligence in some part."
Correction, Aug. 31, 2024: A previous version of this article misstated the number of days it took for the body to be discovered.
