Investigators say it appears Sheila Decoster was standing on porch when she leaned over, lifted lid on bin, and fell inside

This article is more than 9 years old

This article is more than 9 years old

A woman who died after falling face-first into a recycling bin and wasn't noticed until her husband came home had become stuck in a position in which she couldn't breathe, a Toledo, Ohio, coroner said.

Sheila Decoster, 62, was inside the bin for several hours before she was found on Friday, said Lucas County deputy coroner Diane Barnett. Her husband saw her legs sticking out of the container that sits alongside their porch.

"Honestly, I thought it was a dummy," Richard Decoster said. "I shook her leg and called her name, and I knew she was gone."

The couple, who were married for 43 years, kept their recycling and rubbish bins next to their porch, which does not have a railing. Investigators said it looked like Sheila Decoster was standing on her porch when she leaned over, lifted the lid on the bin and fell inside.

Her husband said she had some medical issues, including dizzy spells and an aneurism on her brain, which could explain why she fell. She also had back problems and a recent knee-replacement surgery.

There were many complaints about the large recycling bins when they were distributed two years ago. Residents said they were too big and difficult to move, especially for older and disabled people.

"It's tragic, but I think it's definitely an extreme example," said city spokeswoman Jen Sorgenfrei.