New details have raised questions about the timeline of Betsy Arakawa’s death, as reports confirm she sought medical help a day after her reported passing

New details have raised questions about the timeline of Betsy Arakawa’s death, as reports confirm she sought medical help a day after her reported passing
New details have raised questions about the timeline of Betsy Arakawa’s death, as reports confirm she sought medical help a day after her reported passing(Image: Getty Images)

Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa never received medical attention after she made a phone call for help to a health clinic, it has been reported – adding further mystery surrounding her death. Sheriff Adan Mendoza pointed out that the call was a clear sign that Betsy “was seeking medical advice or medical help and may have not been feeling well.”

Good Morning America also verified with Cloudberry staff that Betsy had reached out to inquire about “esoteric treatment.” The staff noted that there were no signs of distress, but when they attempted to return her call, they were unable to reach her.

While the Santa Fe medical examiner had previously concluded that Arakawa passed away from hantavirus, a rare illness linked to rats, on February 11, it was believed that she died a week before Hackman, who succumbed to heart failure and Alzheimer’s. However, new information from police suggests that Arakawa, aged 65, made several calls to a health clinic on February 12—casting doubt on the official timeline, reports BBC. The publication also highlighted that she hadn’t recieved medical attention.

The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department told Fox News: “We can now confirm that Mrs. Hackman’s phone was utilized on the morning of February 12 to call a medical centre in Santa Fe, Cloudberry Health,” Dr. Josiah Child, a former emergency care specialist who runs Cloudberry Health, confirmed that Betsy had made an appointment for February 12, a day after her supposed death.

New details have raised questions about the timeline of Betsy Arakawa’s death, as reports confirm she sought medical help a day after her reported passing
New details have raised questions about the timeline of Betsy Arakawa’s death, as reports confirm she sought medical help a day after her reported passing(Image: Getty Images)

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He also revealed that Betsy had cancelled the appointment just days earlier, citing her husband’s declining health. The situation remains puzzling as Dr. Child expressed his astonishment: “It is surprising that Mrs. Hackman spoke to my office on the phone on February 10 and again on February 12 and didn’t appear in respiratory distress,” noting that “Most patients who have hantavirus die in hospital.” Betsy was diagnosed with the rare and fatal hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a disease spread by rodents. However, Dr. Child questioned the severity of her condition, noting that she showed no usual symptoms during their phone conversations.

New theories have since emerged over the reclusive couples mysterious death. Tom Allin, 75, Hackman’s business partner and long-time friend, has since said: “I don’t think she allowed anybody in the house, especially in the last six months. But she was little. If he fell, she would have a hard time lifting him.”

Betsy never received medical attention after a phone call she made to a health clinic
Betsy never received medical attention after a phone call she made to a health clinic

Allin further suggested that Betsy was so protective of her ailing husband that she kept him isolated, despite their substantial $80 million fortune which could have easily covered round-the-clock live-in care.

He stated: “She was going to do everything to protect him until he passed away. But she didn’t expect to pass away first,” speculating that “if Betsy’s absolute goal of privacy ended up not being helpful at all.’ He added that the former classical pianist was determined to do everything herself, a mistake that may have proved fatal.

Allin’s harrowing theory, which he shared with the New York Times is that Betsy’s determination to protect her husband may have inadvertently caused her dear husband’s demise, as he didn’t stand a chance at survival following her death.Santa Fe sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed last week that it seemed likely that Hackman may have been alive for up to seven days after Arakawa passed away, and may have been so confused he did not realise she was dead.

The discovery of their bodies came only on February 26, when a neighbour’s caretaker alerted the authorities. As officials piece together the cause of death for both, Betsy’s phone calls add layers of mystery to the timeline and circumstances of her passing. Gene’s £62 million fortune could go to his three children, even though they are not mentioned in his will. Under intestate succession laws, his inheritance would automatically go to his offspring – Christopher, 65, Elizabeth, 62, and Leslie, 58.