LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Ashley Summers didn’t die of water toxicity, opposite to nationwide media studies and one native tv information story, in keeping with Summers’ post-mortem findings.
“This loss of life was not associated to water toxicity,” Tippecanoe County Coroner Carrie Costello acknowledged in a information launch revealed Monday morning.
Summers, 35, of Monticello, died July 6 at a Lafayette hospital the place she was taken after collapsing, Costello stated. Her household made claims to a information outlet that Summers’ loss of life was from consuming an excessive amount of water — generally known as water toxicity or water intoxication.
However that is not what occurred, in keeping with closing post-mortem outcomes that have been simply accomplished.
Summers died from mind swelling brought on by an electrolyte imbalance, in keeping with the findings of Summers’ post-mortem. That swelling minimize off the oxygen to her mind. Her loss of life was dominated an accident.
“The opinion of the forensic pathologist is that the ultimate mechanism to clarify the electrolyte imbalances is unclear and, as mirrored within the medical document, contains the mixed results of warmth publicity (Warmth Stroke), (alcohol) ethanol consumption altering the physiologic responses, and the consumption of a comparatively small quantity of hypotonic water close to the time of changing into symptomatic,” the information launch states.
“The amount of water that was reported to have been consumed is nicely beneath the standard water consumption quantity reported in instances of pure water intoxication,” in keeping with Monday’s information launch from the coroner’s workplace. “Though the precise kind/quantity of alcohol containing beverage being consumed is unknown, sure drinks after giant quantity consumption can lead to these electrolyte imbalances, reminiscent of beer, when mixed with little different dietary enter functioning so as to add in wanted solute, termed potomania.”
Toxicology indicated Summer season’s blood-alcohol content material was .113% on the time of her loss of life, in keeping with the information launch, which the forensic pathologist decided did contribute to her loss of life.
Costello stated she was not contacted by the native TV station earlier than the story ran. Different information retailers republished the report with out checking with the coroner.
When information companies did name, Costello stated she cautioned in opposition to working the report as a result of post-mortem findings weren’t full. Three information retailers, together with the Journal & Courier, held off publishing any studies till the ultimate post-mortem report was launched.
One nationwide information group contacted Costello about Summers’ reason behind loss of life, and Costello defined the loss of life was nonetheless below investigation and a reason behind loss of life was not but decided. Costello stated she allow them to know the trigger won’t be water toxicity. That nationwide information group revealed the story regardless of her warning, Costello stated.
Summers’ household instructed investigators that she’d been boating on the lake on the sandbar for July 2, 3 and 4 throughout the Independence Day vacation. She’d been consuming, however she wasn’t closely intoxicated, in keeping with the coroner’s investigation.
Whereas on the sandbar July 4, Summers complained of a headache. She drank three or 4 16.9-ouce bottles of water in 30 to 45 minutes whereas boating again to the dock, in keeping with the coroner’s workplace investigation.
From there, the household obtained into an air-conditioned automobile and headed dwelling, stopping briefly to fuel up, in keeping with the coroner’s investigation.
When Summers and her household obtained to their Monticello dwelling, she obtained out of the automobile and collapsed within the storage after getting out of the automobile about 6:45 p.m. July 4, in keeping with the coroner’s investigation.
She by no means regained consciousness, in keeping with the investigation.
One among Summers’ relations claimed in a tv interview that she died from water intoxication. The post-mortem concluded Summers had not consumed sufficient water to trigger water toxicity.
On-line searches of the subject point out that 68 ounces — 4 16.9 ounces of bottled water — will not be sufficient to induce water intoxication.
Water toxicity is brought on by an excessive amount of water consumption and might develop if an individual drinks 3 or 4 liters of water in a brief interval, in keeping with medicalnewstoday.com. Three liters interprets into greater than 101 ounces.
Within the information launch, Costello wrote, “In hopes of higher supporting the neighborhood in gentle of this tragedy, and whereas not particularly associated, our workplace will likely be working along with the Tippecanoe County Well being Division, Dr. (Gregory) Loomis, to advance consciousness of heat-related damage and really useful wholesome hydration protocols.”
Attain Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Observe on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.