Dr. G: Medical Examiner - Season 2, Episode 14 - Dangerous Forces - Full Episode | Forensic Files

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

Jerra Kirby, who’s visiting family in Orlando, has suddenly passed out at a theme park wave pool and the paramedics are trying desperately to revive her.

A Florida medical examiner takes viewers through puzzling cases while explaining procedures and conclusions.

Brief Summary

Dr. G investigates the mysterious deaths of Jerra Kirby and Eva Phillips, revealing myocarditis and acute alcohol intoxication as causes.

Key points

Tragic Death at Water Park. A 12-year-old girl dies unexpectedly during a family vacation, sparking a media frenzy.
Dr. G's Investigation Begins. Dr. G faces the challenge of uncovering the cause of Jerra's sudden death.
The Heart of the Mystery. Dr. G suspects myocarditis as a potential cause of Jerra's death after extensive investigation.
Jerra's Heart Failure. Jerra's heart can no longer beat on its own, leading to her tragic death.
Dr. G's Revelation. Dr. G reaches out to Jerra's mother with answers about her death, but questions remain.
Eva's Shocking Toxicology Report. Dr. G discovers Eva's blood is saturated with alcohol, leading to her accidental overdose.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

My baby was healthy.

A mother reflects on her daughter's health before the tragedy.

0:23WatchJun 1, 2021

Tension

80/ 100High tension

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