93 year old man died of hypothermia because he didn't pay his electric bill!

Freeze! - In the winter it's cold.
@callarse1 (4783)
United States
February 1, 2009 6:57pm CST
I find this news story very disturbing and tragic! Marvin Schur a 93 year old man of Bay City Michigan owed over 1 000 USD on his electric bill. He had hearing problems. And it seems as though he only used electric (no gas bill). As many of you know in Michigan (USA) it is very cold now. Well his electric company decided to put a device that limits the electric. Soon he had no electric and froze to death of hypothermia! The thing that makes it even very depressing when they found his body they found he has money clipped to his electric bill showing his intentions to pay off his past due bill. Umf! Should the electric company be responsible? Should they be sued or charged for murdering an innocent man? I look forward to your thoughts. Cheers and happy myLotting! Pablo Here is the link to read the full news story: http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/93-year-old_Michigan_man_freezes_to_death_after_electric_company_limits_his_power_usage?curid=120058
1 person likes this
5 responses
JenInTN
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
21 Feb 09
That's terrible! To just let a man die in the freezing cold. I think there should be some kind of rule put in place that helps the elderly and protects them from this type of outrage. It's all about the money
1 person likes this
Scott
@callarse1 (4783)
• United States
24 Feb 09
Yea it's too bad especially since he had some intentions on paying the bill! :( Pablo
aisaellis22
@aisaellis22 (6445)
• United States
21 Feb 09
Hello callarse1! This is really sad. This man maybe still alive until now if the electric company didn't cut it off. I guess they should really be sued for it. Poor old man. Electric company should have been considerate especially for old people and for cold season. How could they take to cut it off? They could cut it off after the snow season. I don't know what happen now, because it has been started 3 weeks ago. Would you mind telling me what happen to the electric company?
1 person likes this
Scott
@callarse1 (4783)
• United States
24 Feb 09
Hello! I'm not sure what will happen to the electric company. I'm sure the government will be looking into it and they could be possibly sued.
lilybug
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
2 Feb 09
Around here they have something called a cold weather rule. The gas and the electric company are not allowed to turn off anybody's service when the temperature is under a certain temperature. I wonder if it is not a rule that is set up all over.
1 person likes this
sugarplum9084
@sugarplum9084 (1771)
• United States
2 Feb 09
That is very depressing that something like that had to happen to an elder, there should have been more communication between the two parties, but I am not sure of what communication was made. The electric company cannot get in trouble for this because they had an agreement, you buy something, you get it, but if you do not pay for something it is not rightfully yours. It is like a contract. Perhaps companies like that should find out how their clients heat their home etc.
1 person likes this
Scott
@callarse1 (4783)
• United States
2 Feb 09
You are right about the service. However he was elderly and probably had to save up his money to pay the bill. We have to realize that it is very bad to cut off services in cold winter months! Cheers Pablo
michmich2
@michmich2 (432)
• United States
2 Feb 09
That is so sad! It's terrible to cut off someone's service in this dangerously cold weather we've had this year (or even in a regular winter). Legally the electric company probably isn't responsible, but morally they should do everything possible to work something out with their customers in order to avoid shutting off their service.
1 person likes this
Scott
@callarse1 (4783)
• United States
2 Feb 09
I don't know if they are responsible, either. According to the article the company is being investigated by the Attorney General! Pablo