00:00:03
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:00:17
NARRATOR: A media frenzy ignites when a 12-year-old girl
00:00:20
dies suddenly at a water park.
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I couldn't believe it.
00:00:23
My baby was healthy.
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NARRATOR: But while pressure mounts--
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There'll be a lot of phone calls.
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NARRATOR: Dr. G struggles to find a cause of death
00:00:31
with virtually no clues.
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Nothing is clear cut.
00:00:34
I had to warn the mother that I may not have an answer.
00:00:37
NARRATOR: Then, a young widow was found naked and dead next
00:00:41
to her all terrain vehicle.
00:00:43
But what was odd about it, is she's outside,
00:00:45
she doesn't have any clothes on except for her sandals.
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NARRATOR: Was it a bizarre accident
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or a brutal rape and murder.
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That stretch of highway that people all over the place
00:00:54
go through there.
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I better prove this is or isn't a homicide.
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[THEME MUSIC]
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NARRATOR: Altered lives, baffling medical mysteries,
00:01:05
shocking revelations, these are the everyday cases of Dr. G,
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medical examiner.
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[MUSIC PLAYING]
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Sun, fun, and heart stopping thrills.
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Every summer, Orlando's nine theme parks
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attract more than 40 million visitors,
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many from out of state.
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A few of them, unfortunately, never make it back.
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Such deaths are extremely rare, averaging only about four
00:01:38
every year in the US.
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But when they happen, they attract national attention.
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And as a chief medical examiner whose jurisdiction includes
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several popular theme parks, Dr. Jan Garavaglia
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has her share of cases thrust into the spotlight.
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That's just, you know, the bane
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of my existence, that we have, you know,
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deaths amusement parks.
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I mean, I cannot function here without worrying about
00:02:04
deaths in amusement parks.
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NARRATOR: On this summer day, one tragic amusement park
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death captivates the media.
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It's the death of Jerra Kirby, a 12-year-old girl from Virginia.
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REPORTER: Jerra Kirby of Newport News collapsed--
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NARRATOR: Friday morning, 8:00 AM,
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while reporters speculate on Jerra Kirby's death,
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Dr. G reviews the morgue investigator's
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report to learn more about her.
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STORMETTA: She was such a smart little girl, full of life.
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I was so proud to be her mom.
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So proud.
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NARRATOR: 12-year-old Jerra had been on a dream vacation,
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a whole week with her mother's cousins
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at Orlando's top theme parks.
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On the last day of the trip, they
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hit the shores of one of the most popular water parks
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in town.
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STORMETTA: Now she loves the water, so swimming, and being
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around family, and going-- getting on rides and stuff,
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very exciting for her.
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NARRATOR: Jerra packs more fun into one afternoon
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than she could have ever imagined.
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BILL STRATTON: She was playing with your other children.
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She was playing in the-- in the water.
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They didn't have any indication to the family that she was ill
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or had any--
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any type of medical problems or physical problems.
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NARRATOR: Then, late in the day, lifeguards
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noticed Jerra resting at the edge of the wave pool,
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looking faint.
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She complained of not feeling right, but, you know,
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didn't want any help, didn't--
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didn't think she needed any help.
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NARRATOR: But when she takes a few steps, she collapses.
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[MUSIC PLAYING]
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The lifeguards immediately check her vital signs.
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No pulse.
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No breathing.
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DR. G: They tried to resuscitate her there at the park,
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and they tried a defibrillator right away, and nothing.
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NARRATOR: 700 miles away, back in Virginia,
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Jerra's mother receives an unexpected call
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from one of the cousins.
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Hello.
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And first thing that she said was,
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Stormy, Jerra has passed out.
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I really didn't believe it, until she started talking,
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and I could listen to her voice, and then
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I could tell the seriousness of what she was saying.
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That's when it hit me.
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My child was not breathing, and they're trying to revive her.
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NARRATOR: Paramedics soon arrive on the scene and rush Jerra
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to the emergency room.
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STORMETTA: All I was just imagining
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was that don't let anything happen to my baby.
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[PHONE RINGING]
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NARRATOR: But when her cousin calls back,
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it's with devastating news.
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[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:04:39
STORMETTA: She told me she was gone.
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And, of course, I just dropped the phone.
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I couldn't believe it.
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DR. G: They actually tried to resuscitate her
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for a whole hour and 10 minutes, but they
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could never bring her back.
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NARRATOR: Jerra's sudden death has her mother
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reeling with questions.
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They said that she had just collapsed
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after getting out of the water.
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But did she drown?
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I know she's a good swimmer.
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NARRATOR: And news reporters clamoring for answers.
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DR. G: When anybody dies in one of those parks,
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it's somewhat of a big media question.
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And because a lot of people go to those places,
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and is something wrong there that that could
00:05:18
cause a young girl to die?
00:05:21
NARRATOR: Theme park fatalities can
00:05:23
be caused by preexisting problems,
00:05:25
such as congenital heart disease.
00:05:28
But according to her mother, Jerra was in perfect health.
00:05:33
No medical history, takes nomads, no regular MD.
00:05:37
All we know is that she wasn't feeling well just a little--
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you know just a little bit before she dies,
00:05:43
she's not feeling well.
00:05:45
But her temperature wasn't that high, a little over 99, so I
00:05:48
doubt that it's heat stroke.
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NARRATOR: Meanwhile, reporters have
00:05:52
one burning question, did a ride or park
00:05:55
negligence kill the girl?
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[MUSIC PLAYING]
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DR. G: I'm sure that they will be all over this
00:06:00
and wanting to know the answer.
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I just hope I have one by the end of the day.
00:06:09
Is a cute little girl.
00:06:12
A little bit of froth on her mouth.
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You can still see that.
00:06:15
NARRATOR: At first glance, the foam
00:06:17
seems to confirm the mother's fear,
00:06:19
that Jay was somehow drowned in the pools artificial waves.
00:06:24
But surprisingly, Dr. G is quick to rule this out.
00:06:27
DR. G: Believe it or not, drowning is often best
00:06:31
diagnosed from the history.
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You're not going to be out of the water
00:06:38
and being fine and being able to talk one minute, and then
00:06:42
a witnessed collapse the next.
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That's not going to be a drowning.
00:06:46
NARRATOR: She is more concerned about another possible hazard,
00:06:50
a head injury.
00:06:51
Going down something a slide or something, maybe
00:06:54
she hit her head and just didn't bother to tell anybody,
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and she's got to bleed in the brain.
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NARRATOR: Dr. G carefully checks the head for hidden abrasions,
00:07:02
cuts, or bumps that could signal an underlying trauma.
00:07:07
But the search reveals nothing.
00:07:12
Could a ride have injured Jerra and left no external wounds?
00:07:18
We're not going to know that for sure until we get inside.
00:07:20
I've been fooled before with that.
00:07:23
But there's certainly no other trauma on her.
00:07:24
She looked good.
00:07:25
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:07:30
NARRATOR: Dr. G makes the standard Y
00:07:32
incision from shoulders to torso exposing
00:07:35
Jerra's internal organs.
00:07:37
Heavy bleeding around them could indicate trauma
00:07:40
from an accident, but she sees no obvious injuries
00:07:45
or excess blood.
00:07:47
Next, she focuses on one of the most suspect organs
00:07:50
in a sudden death, the heart.
00:07:53
When somebody dies suddenly and unexpectedly, you know,
00:07:57
the heart is often the main culprit.
00:08:00
Maybe the heart's not formed right.
00:08:02
NARRATOR: In fact, nearly one out of every 100 babies
00:08:05
is born with some kind of heart defect.
00:08:08
It's possible that Jerra had an undiagnosed condition,
00:08:12
and that the prolonged stress from a week
00:08:14
of amusement park rides had an adverse effect on her heart.
00:08:19
To find out, Dr. G carefully dissects the organ.
00:08:23
Because of the sudden death, we're
00:08:24
expecting maybe an arrhythmia.
00:08:26
So we're looking to make sure that the blood
00:08:28
supply to the heart's normal.
00:08:30
NARRATOR: She searches the heart for constricted blood vessels
00:08:33
and other abnormal formations.
00:08:35
But her heart looked pretty good.
00:08:38
I didn't find any congenital abnormalities.
00:08:41
NARRATOR: The only finding in Jerra's heart is subtle,
00:08:45
one side looks slightly swollen.
00:08:50
But we see that with CPR, particularly prolonged CPR.
00:08:54
So I wasn't too worried about that.
00:08:57
NARRATOR: So far, Dr. G has found no evidence that a ride
00:09:00
caused Jerra's death.
00:09:02
Both the family and the media must
00:09:05
continue to wait for answers.
00:09:07
STORMETTA: I just want to know what
00:09:09
could have happened to her all of a sudden to take her away.
00:09:15
NARRATOR: Coming up next, Dr. G struggles
00:09:17
to find more clues behind Jerra's mysterious death.
00:09:21
It would be devastating to me to think
00:09:22
my child died I don't know why.
00:09:24
NARRATOR: And she must face the media with disappointing news.
00:09:27
I don't have a good grasp on what's going on.
00:09:30
NARRATOR: When "Dr. G Medical Examiner" continues.
00:09:34
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:09:44
RECEPTIONIST: She's got autopsy duty.
00:09:46
NARRATOR: On any given day, Dr. G's morgue receives a few dozen
00:09:49
phone calls from laboratories, law enforcement,
00:09:53
loved ones, even government officials.
00:09:56
Today, that number has more than tripled.
00:10:00
The calls are from the media, hungry for information
00:10:03
about the sudden death of Jerra Kirby.
00:10:06
The 12-year-old collapsed at an Orlando pool the day before,
00:10:10
and they want to know if something at the water park
00:10:12
killed her.
00:10:13
All I can say is, I don't know.
00:10:15
I don't know yet.
00:10:16
We need more time.
00:10:17
Hopefully, this whole thing will die down.
00:10:19
NARRATOR: But for Dr. G, the media
00:10:21
is the least of her concerns.
00:10:23
She knows that back in Virginia Jerra's mother
00:10:26
is suffering her worst nightmare.
00:10:29
DR. G: It's got to be horrible that her daughter died
00:10:32
here, she's in another state.
00:10:34
NARRATOR: Compounding the mother's grief
00:10:35
is a heartbreaking past.
00:10:38
Jerra is not the first child she has lost.
00:10:42
There was a fire at my mom's house.
00:10:44
My daughter was about 19 months old.
00:10:47
She died from the smoke inhalation.
00:10:48
[SIRENS WAILING]
00:10:49
NARRATOR: While tragic, this child's sudden death at least
00:10:52
had a clear cut cause.
00:10:54
Jerra's is simply incomprehensible.
00:10:58
STORMETTA: My baby was healthy.
00:11:00
There was nothing wrong with her.
00:11:02
Never been sick.
00:11:04
Why did it happen again?
00:11:07
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:11:11
NARRATOR: As the day wears on, Dr. G methodically inspects
00:11:14
every organ.
00:11:15
25.
00:11:16
So we go through the entire process.
00:11:18
I look for evidence of everything.
00:11:23
NARRATOR: With her naked eye, she can see no signs of illness
00:11:26
or trauma in the major organs.
00:11:28
Even her suspicions that Jerra may have hit her head
00:11:31
are put to rest when her brain reveals no injury.
00:11:35
DR. G: I don't see any blood.
00:11:36
There was clearly no trauma to the brain.
00:11:39
NARRATOR: Then, under Jerra's arms,
00:11:41
she finds her first promising clue.
00:11:44
She's got very prominent lymph nodes.
00:11:47
NARRATOR: Lymph nodes, which contain
00:11:48
white blood cells play an important role
00:11:50
within the body's immune system.
00:11:53
More than 500 of these nodes are clustered in areas
00:11:56
from under the jaw down to the knees.
00:11:59
They look like kind of tanned little grapes.
00:12:01
Hers were-- were that big, little-- little tiny,
00:12:04
small-- small grapes, I guess.
00:12:06
NARRATOR: Swollen nodes often mean the body
00:12:08
is fighting an infection.
00:12:10
The effect is usually localized.
00:12:12
A sore throat, for example, triggers nodes only
00:12:15
in the neck.
00:12:17
But Jerra's lymph nodes are enlarged throughout her body.
00:12:21
DR. G: An area between heart and lungs,
00:12:23
even in the abdominal area, a lot of enlarged lymph nodes.
00:12:26
NARRATOR: This could indicate a serious illness,
00:12:29
such as cancer, completely unrelated to the park.
00:12:33
DR. G: But in and of itself, I didn't
00:12:35
have an answer with that.
00:12:38
NARRATOR: To determine whether Jerra had been suffering
00:12:40
from an undetected illness, Dr. G
00:12:42
must look under the microscope.
00:12:46
She collects tissue samples of the swollen nodes
00:12:48
as well as samples from organs, including the spleen,
00:12:51
the heart, and the lungs.
00:12:53
DR. G: Pretty much all your major organs,
00:12:56
I will want to look at to see if I can tell what's going on.
00:13:00
STORMETTA: It was very difficult to try
00:13:01
to understand the procedure, and how long it would take,
00:13:05
and how many tests had to be done.
00:13:08
NARRATOR: For now, Dr. G ends the internal exam
00:13:10
with only one clear finding.
00:13:13
It appears that Jerra Kirby's death
00:13:15
was not the result of an injury sustained at the park.
00:13:19
What did kill the girl remains a mystery
00:13:22
that she still must solve.
00:13:24
DR. G: Nothing is clear cut, nothing is giving
00:13:27
us the answer on this autopsy.
00:13:29
We've gotta do special tests.
00:13:31
We've got to look under the microscope.
00:13:33
I'm done with the autopsy, but I'm certainly not
00:13:35
done with the case.
00:13:38
NARRATOR: Completing the work will take weeks,
00:13:40
too long to hold off the press.
00:13:42
I am definitely going to have to deal with the media.
00:13:46
NARRATOR: With the mother's permission,
00:13:47
Dr. G issues a press release with the preliminary findings.
00:13:52
No signs of trauma, official cause of death,
00:13:55
to be determined.
00:13:56
Could it have been some type of infection?
00:13:59
Could somebody have given her some drugs or something
00:14:01
she shouldn't have had?
00:14:03
Could it have been some type of an allergic reaction,
00:14:06
because she died awfully quick?
00:14:08
I'm still optimistic that I'm going
00:14:10
to have some answers here.
00:14:12
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:14:17
NARRATOR: In the following weeks,
00:14:18
results trickle in from the comprehensive tests
00:14:20
ordered by Dr. G.
00:14:22
Blood culture is a test for being
00:14:24
like for allergic reactions, eye fluid, glucose.
00:14:28
Every time that she found some information out,
00:14:30
she would call me.
00:14:32
If she tested for certain things,
00:14:34
she would call me and tell me the results.
00:14:36
NARRATOR: But none hold the answer to Jerra's sudden death.
00:14:40
All my tests are coming back negative.
00:14:41
NARRATOR: No allergies, no bacterial infections, no drugs.
00:14:46
DR. G: She didn't take anything.
00:14:48
Looks like maybe she has some type of cola drink.
00:14:50
She had some caffeine in her, but that was about it.
00:14:54
NARRATOR: Now the case hinges on what
00:14:56
Dr. G can find in Jerra's tissue samples under the microscope.
00:15:02
DR. G: There's outside pressure to get an answer certainly.
00:15:04
We get the media calling us, but that's not the pressure for me.
00:15:07
The pressure for me is from within that I
00:15:09
want to get the answer.
00:15:10
And I want to get the answer for the mom.
00:15:13
And it would be devastating to me
00:15:14
to think my child died I don't know why.
00:15:17
NARRATOR: But despite her efforts,
00:15:19
the answer remains elusive.
00:15:21
There is nothing that standing out
00:15:23
from the microscopic slides.
00:15:26
I had some subtle changes in the heart,
00:15:28
a few little white cells.
00:15:31
NARRATOR: And the lymph nodes are not
00:15:32
cancerous but show signs of having
00:15:35
reacted to a possible virus.
00:15:37
Didn't tell me a lot.
00:15:39
NARRATOR: The two small clues are not enough to identify
00:15:42
a cause of death.
00:15:44
At this point, Dr. G must prepare for the worst
00:15:48
and do the unthinkable.
00:15:49
DR. G: I had to warn the mother that I may not have an answer.
00:15:53
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:15:57
NARRATOR: Coming up next, the final report
00:15:59
triggers disturbing questions.
00:16:01
If you found out early enough, was there something
00:16:03
that you could do about it.
00:16:05
NARRATOR: And Dr. G must deliver her answers to the media.
00:16:08
I can't believe I have to do this.
00:16:10
NARRATOR: "When Dr. G Medical Examiner" continues.
00:16:13
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:16:26
The autopsy, the tox screens, the microscopics, nothing
00:16:31
has revealed a clear cause of death
00:16:33
for 12-year-old Jerra Kirby, who died suddenly
00:16:36
in an Orlando theme park.
00:16:39
Maybe I won't get an answer.
00:16:41
I'm not sure.
00:16:42
NARRATOR: But Dr. G isn't ready to give up yet.
00:16:46
I've got to come up with the answer,
00:16:48
if not for anybody but the girl.
00:16:51
NARRATOR: 19 years experience tells her she may still
00:16:53
find the key to this mystery within the forensic evidence
00:16:57
she already has.
00:16:59
It's time to go back to square one.
00:17:06
DR. G: So then you sit back and you say,
00:17:08
OK, nothing is obvious here.
00:17:11
It's just kind of a viral ooh reaction on the lymph
00:17:14
nodes is really all I'm seeing.
00:17:16
NARRATOR: Dr. G re-examines all the facts
00:17:18
with a fresh perspective.
00:17:20
DR. G: There is a lot of little subtle things,
00:17:22
and maybe they mean something.
00:17:24
Her temperature wasn't that high,
00:17:26
rectal temperature was 99.
00:17:28
I had some subtle changes in the heart.
00:17:30
Few little white cells.
00:17:32
Defibrillator right away, nothing,
00:17:35
they couldn't get her back.
00:17:36
Well, you know, just a little bit before she dies,
00:17:39
she's not feeling well.
00:17:41
NARRATOR: The collective clues nag at Dr. G.
00:17:44
The white cells, the slight fever, the enlarged lymph nodes
00:17:49
all point to a virus.
00:17:51
But what virus could have killed her so
00:17:53
swiftly with so few symptoms?
00:17:57
And suddenly it clicks.
00:17:59
And I thought, I've really got to do
00:18:03
more sections of this heart.
00:18:05
NARRATOR: Dr. G has a hunch that Jerra may have been
00:18:08
afflicted with myocarditis.
00:18:11
Basically myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart.
00:18:14
It's like an infection, or you get heart muscle cells dying
00:18:18
from some type of inflammation, and you get sudden death
00:18:22
because they're an irritant to the heart
00:18:24
and you can get an arrhythmia associated
00:18:26
with the myocarditis.
00:18:28
NARRATOR: Arrhythmia is an irregular
00:18:30
heartbeat, whether slower or faster than normal.
00:18:33
In worst case scenarios, a heart can
00:18:35
fibrillate or quiver so fast that it loses
00:18:38
its capacity to pump blood.
00:18:41
If myocarditis had triggered arrhythmia in Jerra's heart
00:18:44
it would explain her collapse.
00:18:47
And the number one cause of this type of infection in the US
00:18:50
is a virus that afflicts as many as 15 million people a year,
00:18:56
the Coxsackievirus.
00:18:59
Highly contagious and with no vaccine
00:19:02
this virus can be spread through droplets of a sneeze
00:19:05
and survive for days on contaminated surfaces.
00:19:08
Coxsackievirus is a very common virus.
00:19:11
Can cause some GI symptoms, it can
00:19:13
cause just generalized just fever and not feeling well.
00:19:17
NARRATOR: These symptoms are benign
00:19:19
and the overwhelming majority of those infected
00:19:21
recover in a few days.
00:19:24
But in a few unlucky children, the virus affects the heart.
00:19:28
That virus causes an immunologic reaction
00:19:33
where your body starts attacking those heart
00:19:35
cells for some reason.
00:19:37
NARRATOR: However, locating the dying heart cells
00:19:39
and confirming a myocarditis infection can be a challenge.
00:19:44
DR. G: Myocarditis can be very spotty in that heart.
00:19:47
You really need to look for it in multiple sections
00:19:50
in the heart.
00:19:51
NARRATOR: Normally, three or four samples
00:19:53
from different parts of the heart
00:19:55
are enough for a microscopic exam.
00:19:58
But if Jerra had myocarditis, it's
00:20:00
possible that those previous samples had missed it.
00:20:04
DR. G: So what I do is I go back to my stock bottle
00:20:07
and pull out the part of the heart that I saved
00:20:10
and I take more sections.
00:20:11
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:20:14
NARRATOR: Armed with more than 20
00:20:15
new slides made from those sections,
00:20:17
Dr. G returns to the microscope.
00:20:20
Her mission?
00:20:22
To find the telltale sign of myocarditis,
00:20:25
individual dying cells.
00:20:29
But one slide after another reveals only
00:20:32
large groups of dying cells.
00:20:35
This is not a sign of myocarditis,
00:20:38
but yet another effect of prolonged CPR.
00:20:42
DR. G: Her blood wasn't getting to the heart enough,
00:20:44
and so some of the muscle cells are dying because she's
00:20:46
living for so long.
00:20:48
NARRATOR: Could Doctor G's theory be wrong?
00:20:51
With each slide she examines, the answer seems to be yes.
00:20:59
Then--
00:21:00
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:21:02
Lo and behold, I saw it.
00:21:03
DR. G: Right there on one of the last slides,
00:21:06
she can clearly make out the effect of the Coxsackievirus
00:21:09
on Jerra's heart.
00:21:11
Where you just have one more muscle cell dying,
00:21:13
and this is surrounded by inflammatory cells,
00:21:17
white cells, and that's the myocarditis.
00:21:21
NARRATOR: The myocarditis is captured on several more
00:21:24
of the remaining slides.
00:21:26
At last, after weeks of investigation,
00:21:29
Dr. G has no doubt what took this
00:21:31
12 year old's life so suddenly.
00:21:34
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:21:39
It's the most beautiful day of the summer,
00:21:41
and Jerra Kirby is splashing it up at an Orlando water park.
00:21:45
But inside her body, a war is raging.
00:21:49
Somehow she's become infected with the Coxsackievirus.
00:21:52
She probably caught the-- the virus, you know,
00:21:55
a couple days earlier and started
00:21:57
having symptoms that afternoon.
00:21:59
NARRATOR: Most children with the Coxsackievirus experience
00:22:02
nothing more than fever and fatigue.
00:22:05
But in Jerra's case, the infection
00:22:07
takes a serious deadly turn.
00:22:10
Probably infected the heart cells,
00:22:12
which then sets up an immunologic change
00:22:15
in the heart cells.
00:22:16
NARRATOR: One by one, the cells begin dying.
00:22:19
The dead tissue starts impeding the heart's
00:22:21
regular beat until Jerra is on the brink
00:22:24
of going into arrhythmia.
00:22:27
Then, in the arms of a concerned lifeguard, it happens.
00:22:32
DR. G: She can't pump, and she collapses, and her body
00:22:35
doesn't get enough blood.
00:22:37
NARRATOR: Jerra's heart can no longer beat on its own
00:22:40
and she dies, a rare victim of a common virus.
00:22:44
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:22:48
Give her a call.
00:22:49
NARRATOR: Dr. G reaches out to the mother once again,
00:22:52
this time with a clear answer to Jerra's death.
00:22:55
The findings bring a measure of relief,
00:22:58
but also raise more troubling questions.
00:23:00
If you found out early enough, was there something
00:23:02
that you could do about it?
00:23:04
You know, was there any type of medication for it.
00:23:08
And she said, basically, no.
00:23:10
Nothing was going to help.
00:23:11
That's right.
00:23:12
So it was still difficult even hearing the results.
00:23:16
This is a common virus.
00:23:18
It can-- it infects, you know, tons and tons of people
00:23:22
all the time.
00:23:23
You cannot prevent it.
00:23:25
Why is it on some people that it causes myocarditis?
00:23:28
Nobody really knows.
00:23:30
STORMETTA: The pain, you know, is
00:23:31
sometimes still overwhelming.
00:23:36
I just try to live and-- and I ask God for strength and peace.
00:23:45
NARRATOR: For Dr. G, Jerra Kirby's case is almost closed.
00:23:50
But she must still complete one more task.
00:23:52
Oh, that's great.
00:23:53
I don't have my glasses.
00:23:54
Where the heck are they?
00:23:56
OK, I got the autopsy report, press release.
00:23:59
I can't believe we have to do this.
00:24:01
NARRATOR: In response to unrelenting requests.
00:24:03
She holds a press conference to explain the official cause
00:24:07
of Jerra's death, myocarditis, inflammation of the heart,
00:24:11
which appears to be caused by a virus.
00:24:14
Is there anything that could have been done, for example?
00:24:17
Kids get viruses.
00:24:18
That's part of life.
00:24:20
I mean my child, today, he had a fever,
00:24:22
and it sounded like he had a viral generalized conditioned.
00:24:27
How could I have prevented it?
00:24:28
I make the kid wash his hands all the time.
00:24:31
The only thing you can do is-- is--
00:24:34
is take good care of yourself to try to,
00:24:36
you know, not to be tired, eat right, the same all yada yada
00:24:40
that the doctor tells you, just so you
00:24:42
have a good immune system, and you
00:24:44
don't get viruses in general.
00:24:45
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:24:51
NARRATOR: Coming up next, Dr. G investigates the sudden death
00:24:55
of a young widow.
00:24:56
She doesn't have any clothes on except for her sandals.
00:24:59
NARRATOR: Was she raped and murdered or was she a victim
00:25:02
of her own inner demons?
00:25:04
It was pretty frequent that she would eat them pills.
00:25:07
NARRATOR: When "Dr. G Medical Examiner" returns.
00:25:11
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:25:23
Hey, sweetie, you have a good day, OK?
00:25:26
OK, I love you.
00:25:28
You got everything?
00:25:30
NARRATOR: It's another sunny day in Orlando,
00:25:32
and Dr. Jan Garavaglia has taken the day off
00:25:35
to catch up on some housework.
00:25:38
Laundry is my hobby.
00:25:41
It's never done.
00:25:43
NARRATOR: Her time alone is precious.
00:25:46
As chief medical examiner in the district,
00:25:48
Dr. G's work at the morgue never lets up.
00:25:52
That's because death never takes a day off.
00:25:56
In just the few hours she's away,
00:25:58
more than 6,500 people will die in the US,
00:26:02
some will die suddenly under suspicious circumstances,
00:26:06
requiring a full autopsy.
00:26:10
Among Doctor G's cases, one such woman was found naked and dead
00:26:14
in a deserted driveway.
00:26:17
Her name is Eva Phillips.
00:26:20
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:26:27
Back at work the next morning, Dr. G learns the case details
00:26:30
from the investigator's report.
00:26:32
Oh, all the data here is interesting.
00:26:36
NARRATOR: At 45 years old, Eva Phillips was a vibrant woman
00:26:39
with a knack for telling jokes.
00:26:41
More jokes than you can imagine.
00:26:43
She would fax them to me, email them,
00:26:46
she would call me on the phone long distance
00:26:48
to tell me the latest joke.
00:26:50
NARRATOR: Widowed at a young age,
00:26:52
she'd been living for the past few years
00:26:54
on an isolated ranch far outside of town.
00:26:58
The open grounds made for a perfect oasis, an escape
00:27:01
from sad memories and plenty of space
00:27:04
for her favorite activity, driving around on her ATV.
00:27:08
It was very quiet, very peaceful, beautiful scenery,
00:27:12
and she just loved being out there.
00:27:16
NARRATOR: But on the day of her death,
00:27:17
the scene is anything but peaceful.
00:27:21
At around 12:30 PM, her brother pulls into the driveway
00:27:25
in the sweltering heat.
00:27:27
It's his birthday, and he's ready to crack open
00:27:29
a few beers with his sister.
00:27:32
But as he gets out of the car, he
00:27:35
spots something odd on the other side of Eva's ATV.
00:27:43
His heart sinks at the site.
00:27:47
There, naked on the ground, is Eva's dead body.
00:27:56
What was odd about it is she's outside,
00:27:59
she doesn't have any clothes on except for her sandals,
00:28:02
and dead right there.
00:28:03
And so that's a little disconcerting.
00:28:06
NARRATOR: When investigators arrive,
00:28:08
they find no clear cause of death,
00:28:10
and immediately treat the area as a crime scene.
00:28:14
They covered her hands to look for trace evidence
00:28:17
in case we did find trauma.
00:28:19
NARRATOR: Devastated by the sudden death,
00:28:21
the family helps police in their search
00:28:23
for other possible culprits.
00:28:25
Eva suffered from migraines.
00:28:27
She would actually be very ill with them.
00:28:30
NARRATOR: At times associated with strokes,
00:28:32
migraines are often triggered by food,
00:28:35
chemicals, and bright lights.
00:28:37
But some in Eva's family feel there could be another reason
00:28:41
behind the headaches.
00:28:42
It's like she used it as an excuse to get-- to get drunk.
00:28:46
Every time you'd catch her with a Coke can,
00:28:47
she'd make sure you didn't grab hers, because it
00:28:49
was 90% liquor, 10% Coke.
00:28:53
DR. G: She does like to drink.
00:28:55
Now, when you like to drink, you also
00:28:57
may end up with some people you shouldn't be with.
00:29:00
And that can get you in trouble too.
00:29:02
NARRATOR: Dr. G also discovers that Eva
00:29:05
had a bizarre habit involving her ATV that
00:29:08
may have attracted attention.
00:29:10
She actually likes to drive it naked.
00:29:13
NARRATOR: Apparently, nude ATV riding was
00:29:16
Eva's secret to a perfect tan.
00:29:19
But her youngest son, a police officer,
00:29:22
fears it may have also led to her death.
00:29:25
Because there's a lot of--
00:29:26
that stretch of highway, you know,
00:29:28
people from all over the place go through there.
00:29:30
And--
00:29:31
NARRATOR: Was Eva raped and murdered?
00:29:33
Police are relying on Dr. G for answers.
00:29:36
None of us knew at this point what it could be.
00:29:39
I better prove this is or isn't a homicide.
00:29:45
OK, so we're all ready?
00:29:48
NARRATOR: As Dr. G begins the external exam,
00:29:50
she immediately notes one simple truth.
00:29:54
Eva has no visible gunshot or stab wounds.
00:29:58
Well, it doesn't take a, you know,
00:30:00
rocket scientist to see that, you know, that she's naked.
00:30:03
It's not like you know, they're hidden.
00:30:05
NARRATOR: If Eva had been attacked,
00:30:07
it would seem her assailant was careful not
00:30:09
to leave any obvious wounds.
00:30:15
But a sexual assault can leave very subtle signs of trauma.
00:30:19
Next, Dr. G carefully searches for evidence of rape
00:30:23
starting with the hands.
00:30:24
DR. G: The bags are put to reserve any trace evidence.
00:30:27
And we take the bags off, the paper bags,
00:30:29
and we look for our trauma, evidence of self-defense,
00:30:32
evidence of her grabbing anything.
00:30:35
NARRATOR: Eva's hands reveal no signs of struggle,
00:30:38
and her genitalia show no tearing or bruising,
00:30:41
no signs of forced sex.
00:30:44
Still, no evidence doesn't always mean no rape.
00:30:48
A lot of times with rape, particular if you're on drugs
00:30:51
or you're drunk, you may not see any trauma,
00:30:54
because maybe you're not fighting off as much.
00:30:56
And-- and even if you're fighting off,
00:30:58
we may not see much trauma.
00:31:00
NARRATOR: Still exploring the possibility of rape,
00:31:02
Dr. G now searches for the type of trauma
00:31:05
most commonly associated with sexual assault, strangulation.
00:31:10
It's what we often see with like, rape homicides.
00:31:16
Normally, the first step is to examine
00:31:18
the neck for any bruising.
00:31:21
But in Eva's case, there's a major complication.
00:31:25
Her skin has already begun to turn color
00:31:28
as a result of decomposition.
00:31:30
Although she's probably not down there very long,
00:31:32
she's already showing some signs of decomposition.
00:31:35
And that's just purely from the heat.
00:31:37
NARRATOR: Green and pink discoloration
00:31:39
makes it impossible to identify any bruises.
00:31:43
If Eva was strangled to death, Dr. G
00:31:45
will have to prove it in the internal exam.
00:31:52
Oh, now, wait a minute.
00:31:53
NARRATOR: Coming up next, Dr. G battles the ruthless
00:31:57
effects of decomposition.
00:31:59
I knew that that brain is going to be soft.
00:32:01
It just falls apart in my hand.
00:32:03
NARRATOR: Could be evidence in Eva's body
00:32:04
already be destroyed?
00:32:07
When "Dr. G Medical Examiner" continues.
00:32:10
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:32:21
Dr. G begins the internal exam with a standard y incision.
00:32:25
See if we find anything.
00:32:27
NARRATOR: The decedent, Eva Phillips,
00:32:29
was found by her brother, naked and dead
00:32:32
in the driveway of her ranch.
00:32:35
DR. G: It could be foul play.
00:32:36
It could be trauma.
00:32:38
Maybe she's just out there nude and it's a sudden death.
00:32:44
NARRATOR: Seeing no trauma in Eva's chest cavity.
00:32:47
Dr. G focuses on her number one suspect, strangulation.
00:32:52
We'll look for the broken bones of the hyoid.
00:32:55
We'll look for hemorrhage in the muscles in the neck.
00:33:00
NARRATOR: But the search is in vain.
00:33:03
She had no indication of strangulation.
00:33:05
She wasn't strangled.
00:33:08
NARRATOR: The lack of external and internal trauma
00:33:11
in both Eva's neck and genitalia cast serious doubt on the rape
00:33:15
and homicide theories.
00:33:18
To completely rule them out however,
00:33:20
Dr. G must find out why and how Eva did die.
00:33:26
Her loved ones fear that the answer may lie in how she coped
00:33:29
with her darkest memories.
00:33:32
When I was 12 years old, my dad died.
00:33:34
He had a heart attack and died, and
00:33:36
after that, that was the point where
00:33:37
mom started going downhill.
00:33:39
She had never gotten over his death, and she still loved him.
00:33:43
Only way she could escape it was to drink.
00:33:48
If I spoke with her 9:00 or 10:00 in the morning,
00:33:51
you could hear that ice hitting the glass.
00:33:55
NARRATOR: But even after years of such abuse,
00:33:57
Eva's organs are in surprisingly good shape.
00:34:00
DR. G: I'm looking at just the organs
00:34:02
in situ, what we call in place, and nothing seems abnormal.
00:34:08
NARRATOR: The heart, the lungs, the kidneys reveal
00:34:11
no clues as to why Eva died.
00:34:15
Then, Dr. G notices one organ with a hint of disease.
00:34:20
The liver is tan in color.
00:34:22
It's not the normal color.
00:34:24
And it's already starting to show evidence of fibrosis.
00:34:27
She's got early cirrhosis of the liver.
00:34:31
NARRATOR: This cirrhosis, or scarring and Eva's liver,
00:34:34
is the disease most commonly associated with alcoholism.
00:34:38
But incredibly, despite Eva's heavy drinking,
00:34:41
the effect of this disease on her liver is minimal.
00:34:45
It didn't look like that would be
00:34:46
bad enough to cause her death.
00:34:49
NARRATOR: Finding nothing else of note
00:34:51
on Eva's internal organs, Dr. G is
00:34:54
left with one last body part to search for answers, the head.
00:34:59
DR. G: We get this history that she's got migraines.
00:35:01
Were they truly migraines or was something else
00:35:03
going on that was giving her headaches?
00:35:07
NARRATOR: If Eva had suffered from an aneurysm, a fatal blow,
00:35:11
or an accidental fall, the inside of her head
00:35:13
should reveal excess blood.
00:35:16
But the search won't be easy.
00:35:18
Once the skull is open, Dr. G will have a very small window
00:35:22
of time in which to work.
00:35:24
DR. G: When they're decompose, you
00:35:25
have to look at that very quickly, because the brain can
00:35:28
lose its shape very quickly.
00:35:29
You can see if there's blood on it.
00:35:31
But as soon as you touch it, it falls apart.
00:35:34
So you've got to get that initial look,
00:35:36
and you got to get it fast.
00:35:39
NARRATOR: First, she carefully removes the top of Eva's skull,
00:35:43
and reaches in to inspect the brain.
00:35:46
And I'm taking it out, it just falls apart in my hand.
00:35:48
It's like trying to hold toothpaste.
00:35:51
NARRATOR: But Dr. G does manage to get a quick look
00:35:54
at the brain's exterior.
00:35:56
There's clearly no blood there.
00:35:58
So that certainly ruled out like a burst aneurysm.
00:36:00
NARRATOR: The lack of blood also rules
00:36:02
out a deadly fall or a fatal blow from an assailant.
00:36:06
And she had no evidence of trauma whatsoever.
00:36:11
NARRATOR: Now, after the complete autopsy,
00:36:13
Dr. G has many answers about how Eva did not die.
00:36:18
So we don't really have any evidence of foul play.
00:36:21
We don't have any evidence of any type of accidental death.
00:36:24
A lot of major things have been ruled out on natural disease.
00:36:29
So I'm left with a naked woman, out in the middle of a farm,
00:36:34
and no cause of death.
00:36:37
NARRATOR: Dr. G's final hope for an answer
00:36:39
lies in Eva's his blood samples.
00:36:43
But even the toxicology report may not provide much help.
00:36:47
That's because Eva's blood, like her body,
00:36:50
has begun to decompose.
00:36:52
Toxicology on a decomp person who's starting to decompose
00:36:55
is somewhat difficult, because your body is starting to break
00:36:58
down, it's releasing things into your blood,
00:37:01
into your fluids that's not normally there.
00:37:03
NARRATOR: If the blood is too polluted,
00:37:05
Dr. G may never be able to say exactly how Eva died.
00:37:13
Coming up next, the blood tests return and reveal
00:37:16
a single common drug in Eva's system.
00:37:19
People don't realize, if it gets high enough,
00:37:21
it can actually kill you.
00:37:23
NARRATOR: But could this drug alone have led to her death?
00:37:26
When "Dr. G Medical Examiner" continues.
00:37:29
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:37:42
What do we have today?
00:37:43
NARRATOR: While awaiting the blood
00:37:44
test results for Eva Phillips, Dr. G tackles new cases.
00:37:49
10th stair, she's at the bottom.
00:37:51
He had a hemorrhagic stroke.
00:37:52
Maybe it's just a heart attack.
00:37:54
NARRATOR: But the mystery of Eve's death
00:37:55
weighs heavy on her mind.
00:37:57
You just keep your fingers crossed that the tox
00:37:59
might have an answer for you.
00:38:05
NARRATOR: A few weeks pass and Dr. G finally
00:38:08
receives the toxicology report.
00:38:11
At worst, she is expecting a slate of inconclusive readings.
00:38:16
But the report contains a shocking piece of evidence.
00:38:20
In this case, only one thing showed up
00:38:22
pretty loud and clear.
00:38:24
NARRATOR: There are no drugs in Eva's body.
00:38:28
Instead, her blood is saturated with more than 0.4 grams
00:38:32
per deciliter of alcohol, more than five
00:38:35
times the legal definition of intoxication in the US.
00:38:39
She's got a very high level of ethanol, which
00:38:43
has alcohol, in her blood.
00:38:46
NARRATOR: Dr. G isn't surprised to find the alcohol,
00:38:49
but the amount is shocking.
00:38:52
It was such a high level.
00:38:53
When you get it that high--
00:38:54
I mean, we're talking about alcohol
00:38:56
poisoning here it's so high.
00:38:59
NARRATOR: As a medical examiner, Dr. G has seen thousands killed
00:39:03
by the effects of alcohol.
00:39:04
Alcohol can kill in many different ways.
00:39:06
You're going to lose your inhibition.
00:39:08
You're more apt to commit suicide
00:39:10
if you want to commit suicide.
00:39:11
You're more apt to drive crazy and cause
00:39:13
accidents and kill yourself.
00:39:15
It can affect your pancreas.
00:39:17
It affects, of course, classically, your liver.
00:39:20
It can cause seizures.
00:39:22
So there's just so many ways it can kill you.
00:39:25
It keeps us busy in the morgue.
00:39:26
I can tell you that.
00:39:28
NARRATOR: But Eva did not die from the effects of alcohol
00:39:31
on her behavior or the longer-term impact
00:39:34
on her internal organs.
00:39:36
She died from overdosing on the alcohol itself
00:39:40
in a single sitting.
00:39:42
Alcohol is a drug.
00:39:44
Ethanol is as a drug.
00:39:46
And if you get it high enough, it can kill you.
00:39:50
NARRATOR: Like morphine and Valium,
00:39:51
alcohol depresses the central nervous system
00:39:54
and affects the body's most vital functions.
00:39:58
Normally, a person's liver can process one drink,
00:40:01
about 5 ounces of wine, or 1 and 1/2 ounces of hard liquor
00:40:06
in an hour.
00:40:07
Too many drinks too quickly, and the liver can't keep up.
00:40:12
In extreme cases, the excess alcohol
00:40:15
cripples the central nervous system,
00:40:18
slowing down breathing and heart rate until the person
00:40:22
slips into a coma and dies.
00:40:25
I think a lot of people are surprised
00:40:26
that you can just drink enough at one sitting to kill you.
00:40:30
But you can.
00:40:31
NARRATOR: Dr. G believes that Eva's sudden death followed
00:40:34
a simple, yet tragic scenario.
00:40:41
For years after her husband's death,
00:40:43
Eva numbed her grief with alcohol.
00:40:46
But instead of leading to an accident, fatal liver damage,
00:40:49
or a risky encounter, her heavy drinking
00:40:52
leads to another day of enjoying life
00:40:54
as she knew best, nude sunbathing
00:40:57
on her favorite ride.
00:41:00
Within an hour or two, Eva soaks up the sun
00:41:03
with a vast amount of alcohol.
00:41:06
At some point, she's drinking very quickly.
00:41:09
He's getting very intoxicated.
00:41:14
NARRATOR: Her liver can not keep up with her rapid consumption,
00:41:18
and her blood alcohol level skyrockets.
00:41:21
The excess ethanol begins depressing the activity
00:41:24
of her central nervous system.
00:41:26
Her breathing slows, and her heart rate drops.
00:41:32
Soon, she slips into a coma.
00:41:35
DR. G: Passes out right there in the driveway,
00:41:38
and either suffers or a respiratory depression,
00:41:41
a cardiac arrhythmia, or a seizure.
00:41:43
NARRATOR: By the time her brother arrives, it's too late.
00:41:47
She died from acute ethanol intoxication.
00:41:54
NARRATOR: Dr. G rules Eva's death an accidental overdose.
00:41:57
The truly acute effects of alcohol,
00:41:59
where you drink yourself to death acutely,
00:42:02
as in this woman, we call that accidental.
00:42:05
I don't think she meant to do that.
00:42:08
NARRATOR: Upon receiving the final report,
00:42:10
the family is devastated to learn that Eva's drinking
00:42:13
had taken such a fatal turn.
00:42:15
But we didn't know to what degree her drinking
00:42:18
was taking hold of her life.
00:42:21
Filling herself up in with alcohol
00:42:23
was not something I thought she'd ever do.
00:42:26
NARRATOR: Still, they find solace in that one good thing
00:42:30
has come out Eva's death.
00:42:32
After discovering her body, her brother, also an alcoholic,
00:42:36
reached out for help.
00:42:38
He'd actually entered an alcohol rehab
00:42:40
program of his own free will, which I'm very proud of him
00:42:43
for.
00:42:44
From what I understand, he's doing well.
00:42:47
Doing what I do, being a police officer,
00:42:49
I see the effects of alcoholism.
00:42:52
You know, and alcohol, it can tear lives apart.
00:42:56
You know, it can change people's lives forever.
00:42:58
And I'm-- you know, I'd hate to see
00:43:00
anybody else go through that.
00:43:03
[MUSIC PLAYING]
00:43:06
DR. G: As I see it in my practice,
00:43:08
alcohol can kill you in so many ways.
00:43:12
You know, if you don't need to drink,
00:43:13
if you don't-- haven't started drinking, don't do it.
00:43:17
(SINGING) [INAUDIBLE] of this life has been a long one.
00:43:26
I've been a strong one.
