We still don’t know how Denise Prudhomme died. What we know, though, gives me chills.

How is it possible that nobody noticed or reported the Tempe woman missing for four days?

That’s the larger question we should grapple with to make sure it doesn’t happen to us. 

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Details are scant. Prudhomme, 60, clocked in to work at 7 a.m. at her Wells Fargo corporate office job on Aug. 16.

That was a Friday. Office security found her four days later. Authorities are investigating but have said that they don’t believe there are any signs of foul play.

That leaves plenty to ponder about our own interactions with co-workers.

What kind of job did Prudhomme have where she could remain missing for four days?

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Our work environment has changed dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic sent us home.

Some of us have returned to the office a few days a week, while others remain fully remote. It’s about what works best for each of us and for our employers.

But it’s also entirely possible not to physically see your co-workers for a long time. This is our new reality.

No one noticed Prudhomme was missing

That reality also has come with loneliness and isolation.

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I have no clue whether this was Prudhomme’s case. But nobody – not friends, family or co-workers – reported her missing for four days. An entire weekend went by without anyone noticing her absence.

That is incredibly sad.

Perhaps the lesson here is to look inward first and check on ourselves. How are we feeling? Who are the people around us, and who would notice if we went missing, God forbid?

Then, consider our sense of community and humanity. Are we checking on our neighbors or co-workers?

Prudhomme’s lonely death should be a wake-up call for all of us.

Elvia Díaz is editorial page editor for The Arizona Republic and azcentral, where this column originally appeared. Reach her at[email protected] or follow her on X, (formerly Twitter): @elviadiaz1