A father and daughter had asked for help to fix their furnace days before their frozen bodies were discovered in their frigid house, according to police.
The bodies of Albert Bivins, 81, and Patricia Bivins, 55, were discovered by police after a neighbor called and said he had not seen them, according to the South Bend Tribune.
The Bivins had gone to the Ferry Street Resource Center, to ask for help to get their furnace fixed. The agency, which offers job placement and housing assistance, does not give money for furnace repair, but referred them to a group that does. It is unclear if they sought help, which can take time to get approval.
"They did not come back in here with any paperwork or any bids," Greg Nasstrom, director of the Resource Center, told the South Bend Tribune.
Gas and electricity were working in the house, which was about 32 degrees when police arrived, according to the South Bend Tribune.
Police are still investigating the cause of death but believe it to be accidental.
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