Asphyxiation suspected in homeless man's death outside Joplin thrift store

Jeff Lehr, The Joplin Globe, Mo.
·1 min read

May 6—The Jasper County coroner suspects asphyxiation to be the most likely cause of death of a homeless man who apparently became stuck in a metal donation box outside the Disabled American Veterans thrift store in Joplin.

Police were called early Saturday morning to the DAV store at 1201 E. Seventh St. regarding human legs sticking out of a clothing donation box.

The legs proved to be those of a deceased man, identified as Bobby A. Yarbrough, 38, of Joplin, according to Capt. Will Davis of the Joplin Police Department. There were no signs of foul play, he said, and police believe Yarbrough, who is known to have been homeless, simply got stuck, either reaching inside the box or trying to crawl inside.

"They got him on (store surveillance) video," Davis said. "He was (wandering around) outside the store and tried to get into the donation box and got stuck and just never got out."

Coroner Rob Chappel had the body taken to the coroner's office pending the funeral arrangements of family members who were notified of the death.

Chappel is having some toxicology tests done to help determine the cause of death, but he told the Globe that asphyxiation seems most likely at this time. He said the body was wedged into the donation box hatch in a manner that may have cut off his ability to breathe.

Jeff Lehr is a reporter for The Joplin Globe.

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