Medical Examiner Reveals New Details Into NYC Winter Storm Deaths

NEW YORK CITY — The city’s chief medical examiner, Jason Graham, disclosed more details into the 18 outdoor deaths tied to the late January snow storm on Tuesday.

Graham testified in front of the City Council as part of an oversight hearing about cold weather deaths.

The medical examiner revealed that preliminary information from his office showed that at least 15 of the 18 outdoor deaths were caused by hypothermia.

In addition, the office is currently looking into how hypothermia may have killed seven people in private residences.

“I would anticipate that there will be additional cases, based on ongoing investigations,” Graham said. “And we’re not completely out of the cold weather yet.”

The medical examiner's office has not released any of the victim's names.

Other city officials, including outgoing social services commissioner Molly Wasow Park, also testified on Tuesday.

Park told the council that the number of hypothermia-related deaths are "outside the norm" compared to an average year.

Park said on average, 10 to 20 homeless people die of hypothermia a year.

"I think it is certainly safe to say that this is going to be a year that is outside the norm, which is tragic, and I feel that every day," Park said.

Three of the 18 deaths are confirmed to have been caused by drug overdoses, according to the Mamdani administration.

Several city council members questioned the Mamdani administration on whether they did enough to remove people from the street during the recent cold snap.

“Every person who freezes to death in the city is a reminder that systems that are designed to protect human life are failing the people who need them most,” Julie Menin, the Council speaker, said.

The NYPD testified on Tuesday that it had 52 involuntary removals of people from city streets. Park disclosed that the Department of Social Services made 33 involuntary removals, which was more than the agency would normally do.

Asked by Menin if it was humane to leave them outside, Park said "these are adults with agency and civil rights."

The city has placed around 1,400 people in shelters or other facilities since the recent snowstorm.