Alicia Witt’s parents died of exposure to the cold.

Robert Witt, 87, and Diane Witt, 75, were found dead in their home in Worcester, Massachusetts, on 20 December by police officers carrying out a welfare check on behalf of the actress and her cousin.

Reporters at their local newspaper, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, have now obtained their death certificates, which listed their cause of death as “probable cardiac dysrhythmia” due to exposure to the cold.

In addition, Robert’s certificate indicated he had a “history of coronary artery disease, hypertension and multiple myeloma”.

It had previously been reported that they had problems with the heating in their run-down home and had been using a space heater.

In a Facebook post in January, The Walking Dead actress revealed she hadn’t been allowed inside her “fiercely stubborn” parents’ home for many years as they refused to have any repairs and that she was unaware they had no heating when they passed away.

“I hadn’t been allowed inside my parents’ home for well over a decade; every time i offered to have something repaired for them, they refused to allow workers into their house,” she explained. “I begged, cried, tried to reason with them, tried to convince them to let me help them move – but every time, they became furious with me, telling me i had no right to tell them how to live their lives and that they had it all under control.

“I had no idea that their heat had gone out. i will never understand how or why they made the choice not to tell me this, not to let me help them with this. my heart is broken.”

– Cover Media