If you look around the area, there doesn't seem to be anything to tell us how she died and you might think that she died in her sleep except that the line "went up in smoke" seems to suggests the possibility a fire. There are no other busts remaining to indicate an arsonist in the family so what could've happened? Take a look at the back of Cousin Maude's sculpture and you'll find three matches tucked into the bun in her hair. I don't know why she put them there but it looks like they must've rubbed together as the old girl slept, resulting in the fire that took her life.

Here is a bit more Dread family Disney trivia for you: In 2010, when the Haunted Mansion's new interactive queue was in the testing phase, there were two other members of the Dread family: Whitfield Tarkington Dread and Ruben Dread. They were included in a large poster near the entrance. At that time, Cousin Maude was listed as "Governess Maude Sweeny" and Aunt Florence was listed as "Aunt Florence McGriffin Dread"

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