A woman from Missouri has died amid severe weather in St. Louis County. Police believe she may have touched a power line in her backyard while assessing damage caused by the storms.
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According to a report by People, the St. Louis County Police Department dispatched officers to a possible electrocution in the 3000 block of Wintergreen Drive just after midnight on Saturday morning, March 15.
Authorities found the victim, Jennifer Brewington, 43, and pronounced her dead at the scene. In a statement, the police said, "It appears Ms. Brewington was in the backyard of her residence assessing possible damage when she encountered an electrical line." The outlet explains that the St Louis area experienced severe storms on Friday night, including six recorded tornadoes.
KSDK interviewed Brewington's fiancé, Ethan Foss, who was clearly distraught about the incident. "Just shock. Numb. You know, I don't know what to think. I don't know what to say anymore," Foss said. "It's hard. It's been hard all day, y'know, I didn't sleep much."
Foss explains that he called Brewington from work late at night at around 11:30 pm. She was reportedly fine and getting ready to go to bed. However, about 45 minutes later, he received a call from Brewington's mom, who told Foss she couldn't find her. Shortly after, she stepped into the backyard and found her body electrocuted in the backyard.
Foss described Brewington as a loving, caring person who would help everybody out however she could. The couple were due to be married in October.
Local Authorities Urge Caution Around Power Lines
Per Fox2 Now, county officials are urging caution around power lines. County Executive Sam Page said, "We are deeply saddened to confirm this death due to Friday's severe weather. This heartbreaking tragedy underscores that downed power lines are extremely dangerous, and they are not always visible."
The Missouri Highway Patrol profile on X reveals that the severe storms have claimed 12 lives. As of March 15, there have been six fatalities in Wayne County and three in Ozark County. Authorities have also recorded one fatality in Butler County, St. Louis County, and Jefferson County.
