Nearly two months after an 8-year-old girl died during a flight to Chicago, a coroner determined her cause of death.
Sydney Weston, of Carl Junction, Missouri, became ill and died due to complications of chronic inflammation of her adrenal glands "in the setting of multiple infections, including Strep and Enterovirus," a medical examiner announced Friday.
During her SkyWest flight out of Joplin, Missouri, June 13, Sydney was also experiencing inflammation of her small intestine and thyroid gland when she died, suggesting an underlying autoimmune disorder, the medical examiner determined. An autoimmune disorder occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the healthy cells of your organs and tissues.
Sydney and her family were headed to Chicago for vacation when she experienced the in-flight medical emergency. The little girl was not breathing and had no pulse when the plane diverted to Peoria, Illinois, where she was pronounced dead shortly after.
She died a week away from celebrating her 9th birthday and leaves behind an 11-year-old brother, according to her obituary.
"Sydney was a ray of sunshine and summer was her season. The pool was her place to be – we called her the fish. Armed with her flippers and goggles, she could swim under water better than anyone else. Her favorite was being tossed through the air by daddy," her obituary read.
A Taylor Swift fan, Sydney "was a girly girl who loved all things pink and pretty and a tomboy all in one. She'd never turn down an outdoor adventure: fishing with dad and brother, playing with remote cars, and digging into the dirt. Perhaps even more telling was her love of action/adventure movies and musicals all at the same time. She enjoyed soccer and golf."
Sydney had a "vigorous love for life," her obituary continued. "She will forever be remembered for the happiness she brought to every single person she encountered. Our hearts are heavy. She was our baby girl and we celebrate her beautiful life."
