Aidan Zingg, a 16-year-old rising motocross star, died from “cardiac tamponade,’’ his mother, Shari, told USA TODAY Sports.
The fatal mid-race crash took place June 28 in Mammoth Lakes, California, and his parents said they hoped autopsy results would help clear up the circumstances around Zingg’s death.
The Mono County Sheriff’s Office is conducting the autopsy of Zingg, who lived with his family in Southern California.
Sarah Roberts, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office, said she did not have any information to release.
“The family has the same if not more information, then we have,’’ Roberts wrote in an email.
Shari Zingg provided no additional information.
The death is being investigated by the Mammoth Lakes Police Department.
Zingg is one of three motocross riders 16 or younger who have died this year. In February, a 12-year-old boy died during a motocross crash in Georgia. In June, 2 1/2 weeks before Aidan’s death, a 14-year-old boy died after an accident at a motocross practice in North Carolina.
What is cardiac tamponade?
This is a medical emergency, according to the Cleveland Clinic, which reports a healthcare provider has to remove the extra fluid with a needle or surgery.
“You need quick treatment for a good outcome,’ according to the Cleveland Clinic.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, cardiac tamponade ‘describes a heart that has so much fluid around it that it can’t pump enough blood. The force of this fluid makes it hard for your heart to do its job.’
Chest trauma is one cause of cardiac tamponade, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Zingg suffered chest trauma during the crash, according to Myron Short, who was the race promoter.