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Missouri paramedic dies after machine falls on her at gym

ST. CHARLES, Mo. — A Missouri woman who was named Paramedic of the Year by her squad last week was found dead at a local gym when part of a machine fell on her while she worked out, authorities said.

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Dolores “Dolo” Boschert, 23, a paramedic for Christian Northeast Emergency Medical Services, was found dead underneath some weights by another customer at a Club Fitness in St. Charles, KMOV-TV reported. Detectives said Boschert was squatting on a Smith machine when her legs gave out and she was pinned under the barbell, 30 minutes before being discovered at about 2:50 a.m. CDT, the television station reported.

Detectives said there was nobody else at the gym when the accident occurred.

She was pronounced dead at the scene, St. Charles Police Capt. Ray Floyd said, according to KSDK-TV.

“We believe she either lost her balance or a muscle gave out and she fell forward and the weights she was using pinned her to the floor,” Floyd said. “We believe she probably died from asphyxiation.

“She was all by herself, there was no one else in the gym. It took about 20 minutes before the next person came in the gym. There are no signs of foul play, we conducted a thorough investigation and we are confident it was an unfortunate accident.”

Boschert graduated from the St. Louis Fire Academy in 2021, according to KSDK. She had worked as a paramedic for Christian Hospital Emergency Medical Services since November 2020, Chief Brian Hokamp told the television station.

“She was one of those people who had positive energy, when she walked in a room you knew she was there because she could make anybody no matter what mood they were in,” Hokamp told KSDK. “She wanted to take care of the community.”

Boschert was voted Paramedic of the Year during EMS Week earlier this month, Hokamp told the television station.

“She was ecstatic when she found out,” Hokamp said. “She had just got (a) plate of food and got a call, she was jumping up and down like it was Christmas Day.

“She loved interacting with the community and providing a resource that’s so desperately needed in this community. She was very proud of the service we provided and the care we provided to people in their darkest hour. This has been a difficult day.”

The Ferguson Fire Department ordered flags flown at half-staff in honor of Boschert, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Rivers Pointe Fire Protection District, St. Charles County Ambulance District and other agencies also shared social media posts in honor of Boschert, according to the newspaper.

On Wednesday, police ruled Boschert’s death an accident, the Post-Dispatch reported.