Woman cleared of negligent homicide after husband dies in sleeping accident

Prosecutors have dropped a negligent homicide charge against a 44-year-old woman in Akron, Ohio, after investigators concluded that her husband died in an accidental sleeping incident.

Marlene Voss had been accused in connection with the death of her 52-year-old husband, Harold Voss, who reportedly died from positional asphyxiation while the couple slept at their home.

According to the account, Marlene told investigators that she woke up and found her husband unresponsive beside her, with his head partially underneath her breast.

An autopsy was subsequently conducted to establish the cause of death. Medical examiners reportedly determined that Harold died from accidental positional asphyxiation, a condition in which a person’s body position restricts breathing.

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Investigators found no physical evidence of a struggle or foul play, according to the account of the case.

Following the medical findings, prosecutors concluded that the available evidence did not support pursuing the negligent homicide charge against Marlene and dropped the case.

Neighbours also reportedly described the couple as loving and said there was no known history of domestic discord between them.

The decision to drop the charge followed the determination that the death was accidental rather than the result of a criminal act.

Positional asphyxiation can occur when a person’s body position prevents adequate breathing, particularly when the person is unable to move into a position that allows normal respiration.

The circumstances surrounding Harold’s death have highlighted how an accidental incident during sleep can lead to a fatal outcome without evidence of deliberate harm.