Part I
1. The paramedics found empty wine bottles on the ledge surrounding the hot tub, and the bodies of Roma and Clint Underhill on the bottom of the hot tub. The water of the hot tub seemed way too hot and the Underhill’s had both been dead for a while when the paramedics arrived.
2. The maid should be asked the following questions about the situation: Is the water usually this hot? If so, what temperature? When did you arrive at the home? When did you discover the bodies? Were the Underhill’s taking any medications? Was the couple depressed, any concerns about suicide?
3. Clint Underhill had taken a medicine called Lasix directly before he went into the hot tub. The Underhill’s were drinking wine in the hot tub and the tub seemed very hot to the paramedics.
4. Lasix, also called furosemide, is a water pill, used to reduce the swelling and fluid retention that can be caused by various medical problems such as heart or liver disease, and it is also used to treat high blood pressure. It causes the kidneys to get rid of unneeded water and salt from the body into the urine. Lasix can make the person taking it very dehydrated, so it is important to try staying hydrated. In addition, drinking too much alcohol affects many parts of the body. It can be especially harmful to the liver, the organ that metabolizes (breaks down) alcohol and other harmful substances. Alcohol not broken down by the liver goes to the rest of the body, including the brain. Alcohol can affect parts of the brain that control movement, speech, judgment, and memory. These effects lead to the familiar signs of drunkenness: difficulty walking, slurred speech, memory lapses, and impulsive behavior.
5. I believe the cause of Clint Underhill’s death was because of his medication, Lasix, the mixture of alcohol, and the overly hot water. One should never mix a medication with an alcoholic drink, so his cause of death could be due to the effects of alcohol and