Woman dies from 'broken heart syndrome' after robbery
Claudia Higdon, 74, was in her yard rolling up a hose one Tuesday in June when a stranger approached, put a gun to her back, pulled her into her Kentucky home and robbed her.
Five weeks later, she died from what family members say was 'broken heart syndrome.'
"Scared her so bad, she got sick right after that happened," said James Higdon, Claudia's husband of nearly 60 years. "He might as well've took a gun, shot her right there — 'cause that's what it turned out."
She had no prior heart ailments or conditions, her daughter said. In fact, the week before the robbery, the two had spent more than three hours shopping at yard sales.
Still, she never fully recovered after going to the hospital the night of the robbery, family members say, and she ultimately died July 20.
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Two suspects were arrested in connection with Higdon's case and several other robberies targeting elderly residents. They face a range of charges, which could soon include homicide.
Louisville Metro Police spokeswoman Alicia Smiley said homicide detectives investigating the case found Higdon was diagnosed with a medical condition "stemming directly from the robbery."
"The assigned prosecutor is aware of the death of Claudia Higdon and is in the process of reviewing whether additional charges (for) Ray and/or Chancellor are appropriate," Jeff Cooke, a spokesman for the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, wrote in an email Thursday.
Family members say Higdon didn't harbor anger toward the suspect and that she had expressed to them more than once before she died that she'd forgiven the person.
"She had a tremendous amount of courage, even when she was sick," her grandson Chad Loy said. "She would oftentimes allude to being strong within. ... And I think that helped her throughout this horrific (event) - to be OK with where she had been, where she was and where she was going."