Mother And Son Both Died Of Natural Causes: Medical Examiner

HOMEWOOD, IL — Two people, a mother and son, were found dead inside a home in Homewood Monday afternoon. Homewood police said they found both Irene Koetz, 86, and her son Thomas Koetz, 56, "unresponsive" at the home in the 1200 block of Elder Road at 3:37 p.m. on Feb. 24.

Both the mother and son were determined to have died of organic cardiovascular disease, a spokeswoman for the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said. The manner of death for both was natural.

Police said there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Five dogs were found in the home when police arrived, according to the South Suburban Humane Society. All five dogs were dehydrated. Two have been taken to an area hospital while the other three are being cared for at the shelter in Chicago Heights.

They are "terrified" from their ordeal, the shelter wrote on Facebook.