Undiagnosed Heart Problems Take Life of Mt. Vernon Teen Jefferson County Coroner Eddie Jo Marks says a 16-year-old Mt. Vernon resident who collapsed while jogging Wednesday likely died of natural causes. Marks says Dakota Mitchem had jogged a one mile lap outside his home when he came in for a drink of water and said he was hurt. His step-mother then joined him on a second lap. She reported Dakota sprinted all of a sudden and then stopped and went down on one knee. He then laid down in the grass on his back and never answered if he was okay. CPR was started, which continued in the ambulance and in the emergency room of Crossroads Hospital where Dakota was pronounced dead. Marks says the autopsy discovered heart issues that no one in the family was aware of. The coroner says sometimes you never know what kind of underlying health problems a person may have, noting Dakota looked extremely healthy and in good shape. He was going to be a sophomore at Mt. Vernon High School in the fall. Marks had move to Mt. Vernon with his family about a year and a half ago. Funeral services will be held at the Blue Funeral Home in Marion. Visitation will begin at noon, with the funeral following at two. Marks says at about the same time, a 54-year-old Mt. Vernon woman died from a heart attack at her home. He reports Barbara Burnett had just completed her paper route and had gone into her bedroom when her mother heard her fall. CPR was attempted unsuccessfully, with Burnett pronounced dead in the emergency room at Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon. ift.tt/1kf6sLm
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 22:22:02 +0000