Jeannette Prieto-Dodd, a former council member for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of California, died unexpectedly on Thursday. She was 43.

Prieto-Dodd began serving as a proxy to the council in 1999 and was appointed as a member of the council in 2001. She stepped down earlier this year.

“This is both a great shock and an enormous loss for the tribe,” Chairman Richard M. Milanovich said in a statement, The Palm Springs Desert Sun reported. “Jeannette's contributions have been immeasurable, and her support for the tribe and its future has been unwavering.”

Preito-Dodd's family is awaiting the results of an autopsy.

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Tribe mourns ex-council member (The Palm Springs Desert Sun 7/9)