Woman died of exposure in Nome

A 27-year-old woman was found unresponsive behind the shuttered Nugget Inn hotel at the seawall, on Sunday, November 5 in the early morning hours, and was later pronounced dead at Norton Sound Regional hospital.

According to acting Nome Police Chief Will Crockett, the authorities identified her as Marissa Slwooko of Gambell.

Crockett said her body was sent to the Medical Examiner in Anchorage to determine the cause of death. NPD doesn’t suspect foul play as there were no obvious signs of injuries.

The police’s dispatch center received a call reporting an unresponsive person at 7:10 a.m. Crockett said a female companion who was with Slwooko tried to rouse her but she didn’t respond. Two officers and Crockett responded. The first officer on the scene tried CPR, to no avail.

An ambulance transported Slwooko to the hospital where she was pronounced dead at 9:17 a.m., Crockett said.

The cause of death seemed to be alcohol-related exposure, Crockett said, as Slwooko was wearing light clothing not suited for the 20°F temperatures that night and had a strong smell of alcohol.

This is the second woman to die near the seawall this year. On June 5, Roberta Tokeinna, 42, was found deceased in the seawall also behind the hotel.

Crockett said that NPD had hired a second Community Service Officer on a part-time basis, to patrol the seawall and other areas in the early morning hours to assist people who may be too incapacitated to be able to seek shelter.

The local Nome Emergency Shelter has opened for the winter season.