The Blubber

Around 7 a.m. on a Friday, Denise Prudhomme checked in for her job at Wells Fargo, located in a corporate office in Tempe, Arizona. Four days later, she was found dead at her cubicle.

Prudhomme, 60, was pronounced dead by Tempe police on Tuesday, August 20, at 4:55 p.m. She had not scanned out of the building since the previous Friday. While the investigation is ongoing, police stated there were no "obvious" signs of foul play.

Police also confirmed that Prudhomme’s family had been notified, though the cause of death remains unknown. Attempts to contact the medical examiner’s office have not yet been answered.

When asked for a statement, Wells Fargo expressed deep sorrow over Prudhomme’s passing. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague, Denise Prudhomme,” the company said, reiterating its commitment to the safety and well-being of its workforce. The company also shared that it is in touch with Prudhomme's family to provide support during this difficult time.

Wells Fargo is currently reviewing internal procedures and providing counseling for those affected by the incident. The event has left employees shaken, with one worker telling local station KPNX, “It's really heartbreaking, and I’m thinking, ‘What if I were just sitting there? No one would check on me?’” The fact that Prudhomme was found at her desk nearly five days after clocking in feels disturbingly surreal to many.

According to reports, Prudhomme’s cubicle was on the third floor in a relatively isolated part of the building, which may explain why it took four days to discover her. Wells Fargo told USA Today that the area where Prudhomme worked was "very underpopulated."

The discovery was made on Tuesday after security called the police. Employees had earlier reported a foul odor, and a colleague eventually found Prudhomme. Although most employees work remotely, security staff are always present in the building, local outlets noted.

One employee voiced their discomfort with how unnoticed Prudhomme’s absence went, telling a local publication, "That's the scary part. That's the uneasy part. It's negligence in some part."