WORCESTER, Mass. — The parents of actor Alicia Witt who were found dead in their Massachusetts home in December died of exposure to the cold, according to the state medical examiner’s office.
Death certificates for Robert H. Witt, 87, and Diane Witt, 75, issued Wednesday and obtained by The Telegram and Gazette, part of the USA TODAY Network, indicate the cause of death was “probable cardiac dysrhythmia” due to exposure to the cold.
Robert Witt also had a “history of coronary artery disease, hypertension and multiple myeloma,” according to the death certificate.
The dates of death are listed as Dec. 20, 2021, the date their bodies were found in their poorly maintained home, which neighbors said lacked a functioning heating system for some time. The previous night was the coldest of the month, with temperatures bottoming out at 15 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
The Witts’ daughter Alicia, known for her roles in “Orange Is the New Black,” and “The Walking Dead,” and her younger brother Ian Witt grew up in the home. Diane Witt was once a Guinness World Record holder who grew her hair to about 12 feet long to earn the title. Robert Witt was a beloved teacher in Worcester.
It was Alicia Witt who called a cousin to check on her parents after they failed to answer telephone calls. Police who assisted the cousin discovered the couple dead inside the home.
Alicia Witt’s parents found dead: Well-being check finds actress’ parents dead in their Massachusetts home
After their deaths, Witt wrote about them on social media saying her parents had refused her offers of help and that she hadn’t been inside their home for more than 10 years.
“Every time I offered to have something repaired for them, they refused to allow workers into their house,” she wrote. “I begged, cried, tried to reason with them, tried to convince them to let me help them move — but every time, they became furious with me, telling me I had no right to tell them how to live their lives and that they had it all under control.”
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She also wrote that her heart was broken and that she had no idea they had been living without heat and that they were stubborn and protective of their privacy.
Witt wrote that the last time she spoke with her parents, she told them she loved them and they closed the conversation with saying “I love you,” to their daughter.
Alicia Witt, 46, made her acting debut at age 7 in 1984′s “Dune.” She is also a classically trained pianist and recording artist.
Contributing: Associated Press and Charles Trepany
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Alicia Witt’s parents died of exposure to the cold, certificates say
