Authorities investigating the suspicious death of a 25-year-old woman in Schuylkill Haven have announced preliminary findings suggesting that health complications, rather than foul play, may have led to her death.
Authorities responded to 20 Parkway Avenue at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Monday, January 6th, 2025 after a family friend discovered the Haley Mills's body after family asked a friend to go check on her when she wasn't heard from in several days.
The friend, identified as Hugo Noel, was asked by the victim's family to check on her welfare after they had been unable to reach her. Upon entering the residence, Noel found Mills unresponsive on the stairwell and immediately called 911.
When officers from the Schuylkill Haven Police Department arrived, they confirmed that Mills was deceased. The condition of the home was described as being in disarray, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding her death. The Schuylkill County Coroner’s Office estimated Mills had been dead for approximately 48 hours.
Due to uncertainties regarding the cause and manner of death, the Schuylkill Haven Police Department requested assistance from the PSP Troop L Major Case Team. The team has since conducted interviews, executed search warrants, and is working alongside local police to determine the events leading to Mills’ death.
According to the Pennsylvania State Police at Schuylkill Haven and the Troop L Major Case Team, a forensic autopsy conducted Thursday morning by the Dauphin County Coroner's Office on Mills revealed that her death was likely due to diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious condition resulting from insufficient insulin in the body. The autopsy findings indicated that traumatic neck injuries observed at the scene were superficial and likely caused by prolonged positional contact at the time of her death.
The investigation remains open as investigators await a final forensic pathologist's report and toxicology report.