Taylor Swift fan died of heat exhaustion, forensic report finds

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The cause of death for Ana Clara Benevides Machado, the fan who died after attending a Taylor Swift concert in Brazil, has been determined.

The cause of death was initially reported as cardiac arrest. According to a forensics report obtained by The Associated Press from the Forensic Medical Institute in Rio, Benevides Machado, 23, died of heat exhaustion, leading to cardiorespiratory arrest.

The report also said she did not have any preexisting conditions that could have led to her death; there was no sign of substance abuse.

During the November 17 concert in Rio, temperatures soared as high as 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Organizers were accused of failing to provide water to fans and of barring them from bringing their own water into the stadium. Benevides Machado passed out at the concert, then died at a local hospital.

A criminal investigation has been opened into Benevides Machado’s death, the AP reports, during which “representatives of the company organizing the event will be called to testify.”

Following the fan’s death, Taylor posted a statement to Instagram saying she’d been left with a “shattered heart.” The Washington Post reported that Taylor and her team donated to Benevides Machado’s parents, and when Taylor played in São Paulo, she posed for a photo with the family.

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