Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

IP death ruled accidental

An investigation into the accidental death of an International Paper Company employee has turned up no evidence of foul play, but did determine the cause of death.

The body of Edna Pennington, 26, of Hope, was found at approximately 4 p.m. Tuesday, according to a news release from the company.

According to an International Paper Company Gurdon Wood Products employee, Pennington's husband became concerned when she did not come home on Tuesday from work on Monday. When he checked at International Paper he saw her car still in the parking lot, which reportedly didn't alarm security personnel or anyone, else as employees sometimes have car trouble or ride home with others.

After Pennington had not been heard from by the afternoon on Tuesday, it became apparent something was wrong. Soon Pennington's body was found in the planer area of the plywood and lumber complex.

Clark County Sheriff Troy Tucker said Pennington was found on the floor of the work area of a wood chipper machine.

According to comments made by Tucker on Wednesday, Pennington's clothing had apparently gotten caught in the machinery, resulting in a fatal injury.

Pennington's body was sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for an autopsy, which was performed on Thursday morning. According to a press release given on Thursday afternoon by the CCSO, the state medical examiner issued a preliminary ruling that Pennington's death was caused by head trauma and that the manner of death was accidental.

The autopsy was requested not because any foul play was suspected, but because it was an industrial accident.

When the story first broke, IP officials said the exact cause of Pennington's death was unknown.

Shannon Renner, a spokesman for the company's plywood headquarters in Savannah, Ga., said Pennington had been employed by the company for a year and a half.

IP Complex Manager Ron Freer expressed his condolences on Wednesday to Donna Hilton, a reporter from the Daily Siftings Herald, "We are deeply saddened by Edna's death. She was a valued and respected member of the Gurdon team, and our thoughts and prayers are with her family."

The plant was shut down while an investigation into Pennington's death was conducted.

Officials from International Paper and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) were at the plant on Wednesday investigating the accident, Renner said, and company officials are fully cooperated with them.

The plant consists of two divisions, she said. One division, the lumber mill, was already on slowdown for the holiday. Both divisions were shut down "for as long as it takes to make sure everything is safe before re-opening," Renner said on Wednesday.

By 6 p.m. Wednesday OSHA had declared the area were Pennington worked to be safe and employees were allowed back in. The plant is now operating to full capacity with some employees going through counseling.

Renner said, "There is still an ongoing investigation, which I am sure will take some time. We do not have any major conclusive information to give at this time, but we will release all information as soon as it is available to us."

The company is also providing grief counseling for Pennington's family and for company employees.