An autopsy done on the body of Jamaican teenager Justin Johnson, who died under mysterious circumstances on Friday, determined that the cause of death were complications relative to sickle cell disease.
A heart disorder identified as cardiomyopathy was also identified as another “significant condition” that was involved.
The results of the autopsy were released by the Dauphin County Coroner shortly after it was conducted on Tuesday, the same day Justin would have celebrated his 17th birthday.
The Central Dauphin High School 10th grade student collapsed after reportedly running away from three of his schoolmates at his home in Lower Paxton Township, Pennsylvania in the United States.
The teenager moved to the district two years ago from Jamaica, according to his father.
The manner of Justin’s death was ruled as natural by the coroner, according to a follow-up report on the case from ABC27 News.
It said the coroner disclosed that Justin passed away “after falling unconscious in his home on Bianca Way on Friday night, April 26”.
Meanwhile, Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo told the news entity that although the autopsy said Justin’s death was natural, the case is not closed.
“It is a factor that militates against criminal liability, but it is not dispositive,” Chardo was quoted as saying in the report.
He said his office is looking at whether other individuals knew of the circumstances leading to Justin’s death, or did his schoolmates cause “stress intentionally or recklessly with malice”.
The language of the boys used in a video of the chase are also be assessed, the Dauphin County District Attorney said.
“It appears that these young men were friends. We’re looking at their communication to ensure that it wasn’t a false friendship, and that they were actually communicating or being friendly along the way, and that there was no animus on the part of the people outside the house,” Chardo stated.
The boys who apparently chased the Jamaican have not been located for questioning up to Tuesday afternoon.
Justin’s father, Orville Johnson, confirmed to ABC27 News on Monday that his son had sickle cell disease and was not supposed to overexert himself.
On the night of April 26, the elder Johnson said three young men showed up at their Bianca Drive home in the Stray Winds development. Johnson said his son told him the three were members of his school’s football team.
Surveillance footage appears to show the teenagers chasing Justin outside the home while using racially insensitive language, the elder Johnson said.
At the time, Johnson said he was at work, but remained in contact with his son by phone throughout the incident.
The father said Justin called him after going back inside the house, complaining of having trouble breathing.
By the time Orville Johnson returned home, he found his son unconscious on the floor.
Justin died at a medical centre shortly afterwards.
The elder Johnson has hired an attorney to conduct a separate probe on behalf of the family in relation to Justin’s death.
The Lower Paxton Township Police are also probing the overall developments in the case.
