Autopsy reports point to heat stroke, organ failure in Arizona sweat lodge deaths

Autopsy reports released in AZ sweat lodge deaths

CAMP VERDE, Ariz. — Autopsy reports released Tuesday point to heat stroke as the cause of death for two people following an Arizona sweat lodge ceremony last year, and to multi-system organ failure for a third person.

A Yavapai county judge ordered the first and last pages of the reports released following a hearing earlier Tuesday in Camp Verde.

Kirby Brown of Westtown, N.Y.; James Shore of Milwaukee; and Liz Neuman of Prior Lake, Minn., participated in the October sweat lodge ceremony led by motivational speaker James Arthur Ray.

Autopsy reports show the 38-year-old Brown and 40-year-old Shore died of heat stroke, and the 49-year-old Neuman died after several of her organs shut down due to hyperthermia from prolonged sweat lodge exposure.

Ray has pleaded not guilty to three counts of manslaughter in their deaths.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

CAMP VERDE, Ariz. (AP) — Autopsy reports released Tuesday point to heat stroke as the cause of death for two people following an Arizona sweat lodge ceremony last year, and to multi-system organ failure for a third person.

A Yavapai county judge ordered the first and last pages of the reports released following a hearing earlier Tuesday in Camp Verde.

Kirby Brown of Westtown, N.Y.; James Shore of Milwaukee; and Liz Neuman of Prior Lake, Minn., participated in the October sweat lodge ceremony led by motivational speaker James Arthur Ray.

Autopsy reports show the 38-year-old Brown and 40-year-old Shore died of heat stroke, and the 49-year-old Neuman died after several of her organs shut down due to hypothermia from prolonged sweat lodge exposure.

Ray has pleaded not guilty to three counts of manslaughter in their deaths.