Leland Bates, 5, and River Bates, 3Brothers Leland and River Bates’ little bodies suffered extremely high core temperatures before they shut down, preliminary autopsies revealed.
The Bradley County boys, 5 and 3, died of hyperthermia, a condition brought on when the body’s core temperature surpasses 104 degrees, specialists say. Normal body temperature averages 98.6 degrees.
“The temperature we normally would say is life-threatening is about 107 to 108 degrees Fahrenheit [and above],” said Dr. Erin Reade, pediatric care specialist at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger.
The boys’ mother, Tasha Moses, first called for help on June 28. River died that day. Leland, who was flown to Children’s Hospital at Erlanger, died the next day.
Moses first told officials the boys had drowned.