Boy found in suitcase died from electrolyte imbalance: report
Indiana State Police believe an unidentified boy found in a suitcase last month died from an “electrolyte imbalance.”
An autopsy report making that determination also concluded the body showed an “absence of significant traumatic injuries.” A blood toxicology report came back negative.
Investigators estimate the boy was around 5 years old when he died. They have no evidence that he was alive when he was put into the suitcase, which was found by a mushroom picker in a heavily wooded area on the southern part of the Hoosier State.
His slim 4-foot-tall body was stuffed inside a travel case on wheels that had a “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” design on its hard shell.
Investigators “are not ruling out the possibility that the child could be from out of state or even out of the country.”
The boy was “clothed and clean” and had his hair cut short, authorities said.
It’s believed the boy’s electrolyte imbalance was due to viral gastroenteritis. Johns Hopkins Medicine defines viral gastroenteritis as “an inflammation of the inside lining of your gastrointestinal tract.”
The condition is said to be “very common” and usually goes away on its own after a few days. The biggest threat, according to Johns Hopkins, is dehydration resulting from diarrhea or vomiting.
