The cause of death has been determined for a Kansas City teenager who died just days after football practice at his high school.
On Thursday, Oct. 17, a Johnson County, Kan., medical examiner confirmed that Ovet Gomez Regalado died of heatstroke, ABC News reported. The 15-year-old first collapsed as he walked towards Northwest High School following a 15-minute exercise before dying two days later on Aug. 14.
The final assessment comes two months after an initial investigation that began following Regalado’s death over the summer.
Per ABC News, the medical examiner’s report said the temperature on the day of Regalado’s death was 92° F with humidity increasing how hot it was. The report also stated that obesity played a factor in the teen’s death, noting that he weighed 384 lbs. and had the trait for sickle cell.
Although initially ice bags were used to cool his body temperature following his collapse, Regalado’s body temperature was 104.6° F when EMS officials arrived at the scene, the medical examiner’s report said, per the outlet.
From there, the report said more ice was used, but only lowered his temperature by two degrees to 102° F, at which time Regalado was transported to a nearby hospital, where he suffered multisystem organ failure and died two days later.
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School.
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While the medical examiner’s investigation was underway, the Shawnee Police Department also looked into Regalado’s death, ABC News reported.
Per the city’s public safety information officer, Emily Rittman, that investigation was completed and the case was closed after it was determined that “no further action” was needed by the police.
Following Regalado’s death Shawnee High School principal, Lisa Gruman, spoke about the teen’s death in a letter to parents, according to the Kansas City Star. “Ovet was such a warm and wonderful student that touched the hearts of so many in our community,” Gruman said.
“Your child will hear many different things, but please encourage them not to make guesses and spread rumors,” she continued. “The family will need privacy as they struggle to handle their grief, and the administration is asking everyone to respect that privacy.”
“For all those who knew and loved Ovet, this report reopens the painful wounds that came as a result of his premature death,” the school district said in a statement to ABC News. “His absence is deeply felt in the Northwest community, and nowhere more profoundly than by his family, including his brother, who continues to attend Northwest,” the statement continued.
