Alicia Witt's Parents' Tragic Cause Of Death Revealed
There is now an update concerning the tragic death of Alicia Witt's parents in December 2021. The "Orange is the New Black" alum shared that before the unfortunate discovery, she had not heard from either parent for "several days" and asked a cousin who lived near them in Massachusetts to check in. "Sadly, the outcome was unimaginable," Witt said in a statement, per the New York Post.
The couple had been ill for some time — Witt's father specifically having a history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, and multiple myeloma, according to E! News. Early reports from the Telegram & Gazette noted the couple's home had fallen into a state of disrepair and that shortly before their passing, they had experienced problems with the furnace and were using only a space heater during periods of very cold weather.
In a post to Instagram sharing a series of family photos, the actor revealed her parents to be "fiercely stubborn" people and extremely private. Despite the disagreement between them to accept offers for repairs and assistance with the property, Witt acknowledged not agreeing with the decisions they made, but had an important takeaway. "Our last words to each other were 'I love you,'" Witt wrote. "That part was simple; never in doubt. They loved me so. I loved them so." The official cause of death for Witt's parents confirms what was previously expected of the situation.
Cold weather was a factor in the death of Alicia Witt's parents
Two months following the announcement, the cause of death for Alicia Witt's parents has been confirmed. Robert Witt and Diane Witt died of "probable cardiac dysrhythmia" according to The Telegram & Gazette (via People). The death certificates were issued February 23 and note that the cardiac dysrhythmia was due to the cold, as the discovery of the couple in their home followed a night that reached a low of 15 degrees.
Alicia and her representatives have not offered any further comment on the findings at this time. The actor shared a lengthy post on Facebook January 25 and opened up about her tragedy. "I struggle, as much as I helped, with what else could I have done," she explained after revealing her parents' fierce refusal of accepting repairs for their home, even from their daughter. She continued, "they were a united, intertwined, indivisible force, determined to do things their own way. Knowing they had each other – battling them the way I would have had to in order to do this truly felt like it would have destroyed them."
Alicia did not know the heat had gone out at her parents' home, and cannot understand why they didn't inform her. "My heart is broken," she said on the matter. A service and burial was held in early January for the couple where their daughter felt "deeply grateful" for the opportunity to mourn and celebrate them "in total privacy."