Cause of Death Revealed for 4-Month-Old Who Died After Spending the Day on a Boat in 120 Degrees

Last July, the death of a 4-month-old baby girl shocked people. The infant had been out with her family on a boating trip in Lake Havasu, Arizona, and the extremely hot temperature caused her to overheat. Now, investigators are finally revealing the cause of death for young Tanna Rae Wroblewski.

At the time of her death, many assumed that the extreme heat played a major role in her death, and it still doesn’t look like anyone will face charges.

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The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the cause of Tanna’s death in a statement shared with People. She lost consciousness around 5 p.m. on July 5, 2024. In the medical examiner’s report, the infant’s death was listed as an accident. It was caused by “exposure to elevated environmental temperatures.” On the day of her death, the temperature reached about 120 degrees.

Due to the extreme heat, Tanna suffered from hemorrhagic shock, anoxic brain injury, and dehydration. The New England Journal of Medicine notes hemorrhagic shock is when “severe blood loss leads to inadequate oxygen delivery at the cellular level.”

The baby was deprived of oxygen, which caused her brain to swell. And then, the dehydration caused low fluid intake, it flattened her soft spot, and her blood pressure dropped, which made her fall unconscious.

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According to a now deactivated GoFundMe, a family member performed CPR on the infant before the Lake Havasu City Fire Department arrived. First responders transferred the baby to Havasu Regional Medical Center. The medical examiner’s report stated that the family member performed CPR for five minutes before the first responders arrived.

After first responders continued to perform CPR on Tanna, she was airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital. She was pronounced dead some time after her arrival.

At the time of her daughter’s death, Tanna’s mom Alyssa wrote a tribute to her baby on Facebook. Her account has since been deactivated.

“Tanna Rae, our real life angel became an angel in heaven 💔😭,” she wrote. “We are beyond devastated, heartbroken, there are just no words. July 5, 2024 our precious girl gave us her last smiles and we gave her our last kisses. Please visit us baby girl 🦋🪻. I will never understand why you had to leave us, you were just too perfect.”

She added: “I love you endlessly and I will look for you everywhere angel.”

Because Tanna’s death was ruled an accident, it doesn’t look like anyone will face charges.

*Disclaimer: The advice on CafeMom.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.

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