BY ANNIE HOLLER
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
LOVELY — A 92-year-old Riverfront Road man was found dead inside his mobile home Monday evening after his landlord asked authorities to check on him during a stretch of dangerous heat in eastern Kentucky.
Fleming Hurley, 92, was discovered on the kitchen floor of the single-wide trailer near the Oppy Church of God, Martin County Sheriff John Kirk said.
The property owner called for a welfare check after telling authorities he had not seen Hurley in several days and had noticed a large number of flies in the windows. Kirk said one of his deputies had been patrolling in the area Friday and remembered seeing Hurley walking along the road.
When Kirk arrived at the residence, he found the exterior front door open and the storm door closed. Looking inside, he could see a dead dog lying near the doorway. The landlord told Kirk there was at least one other dog inside the home, along with nine or 10 cats.
Law enforcement waited for Martin County Coroner Chris Todd before entering the residence.
“We discovered the body of Mr. Hurley lying on the kitchen floor, nude except for a pair of shoes,” Kirk said. “We found one deceased dog, along with a second dog, a female cat and four kittens that were all barely clinging to life.”
Kirk said there was one small, working air conditioner in the bedroom sitting on the floor and a box fan in the hallway.
“There was a brand-new air conditioner on the porch that hadn’t been installed,” he said.
Officers removed the surviving animals to the outside, gave them food and water, and placed them in kennels with fans blowing to cool them down.
Sheriff Kirk contacted animal advocates in the county in hopes of finding someone willing to foster the surviving dog, cat and kittens. Donations are also being sought to help cover veterinary care.
“If anyone can help with this, please call Martin County Dispatch this evening for further information or call my office tomorrow,” Kirk said. “These animals are in desperate need of care and I implore anyone who can help to do so.”
Kirk said Hurley’s death appears to be related to the severe heat wave that has blanketed eastern Kentucky over the past several days. He said he was heartbroken to know “one of our own has perished” during the extreme temperatures.
“Our society has failed our elderly generation,” Kirk said. “We have got to check on them in times of severe weather. This man had no local family. I spoke with a son in Alabama to make the death notification, and he informed me he hasn’t had any correspondence with his father in years. Supposedly, he had a cousin in Logan County who would help from time to time, but that was all. If my office had been aware of his situation, we would not have allowed this to happen and would have done all we could to have prevented it.”
Kirk urges residents to check on elderly and disabled neighbors, especially during extreme heat, flooding, storms and other dangerous weather.
His office participates in COAST, or Check On A Senior Today, a program that began in Rowan County. The program allows family members to register loved ones if they are concerned about their welfare or live too far away to check on them regularly. Once someone is registered, the sheriff’s office calls the person three times a week. If there is no response, deputies stop by to check on the person, ensure they have food and water, and address other needs.
Three people are currently enrolled in the program in Martin County, and Kirk encourages others who qualify to take advantage of the service.
“This program can and has saved lives,” Kirk said.
For more information about COAST, contact the Martin County Sheriff’s Office at 606-298-2828.
Coroner Chris Todd pronounced Hurley dead due to “acute respiratory failure and complications of hyperthermia from extreme heat conditions.” He is making arrangements to transport his body to a funeral home. No autopsy will be performed.