Md. heat-related deaths now at 16

Three people in Maryland have died from heat-related causes, bringing the total of such deaths this year to 16.

The state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene announced the latest deaths Friday.

The victims had underlying conditions — either heart disease, high blood pressure or both — that put them at risk for suffering heat-related problems.

One adult, a person between the ages of 18 and 64, was found dead last month in a car in Prince George's County. Toxicology and other tests determined this week that the death was caused by the heat, which reached a high of 89 degrees the day the body was discovered.

The other deaths, both involving senior citizens, were discovered within the last seven days. One was a person found outside in Prince George's, while the other was in a Baltimore home. High temperatures on those days reached about 90 degrees.

-- Associated Press