By Larry Judkins
Glenn County Observer
Some weeks ago, an Observer reader asked about the official cause of death for Heather Reed.
As reported in The Observer on December 2, 2024, Heather Yolanda Reed, 50, died at the Habitat for Humanity Purpose Place apartments, 827 Newville Road, Orland.
The death occurred on Saturday, November 30.
Although the death was reported in both the Orland Police Department’s and Glenn County Sheriff’s logs, no cause was given.
This was, of course, because the cause of death could not have been known with certainty at this early stage. Toxicology and autopsy results generally take, at a minimum, some weeks to come back.
However, on Monday afternoon, March 10, The Glenn County Observer contacted the sheriff-coroner’s office and left a voicemail message. The call was returned Tuesday morning.
The Observer was told that the proximate cause of Reed’s death was asphyxiation by drowning.
A contributing factor was being under the influence of methamphetamine.
Asked how or where Reed drowned, The Observer was told it happened in a bathtub.
The Glenn County Observer 