The cause of death of the boy from Parque Rodó was determined by an autopsy to be a respiratory infection, according to reports approved by a medical board. The investigation remains open to determine how and when the infection that led to death occurred.
The child's medical history reveals respiratory episodes since birth, with previous hospitalizations. On July 19, the child fell while riding on his 67-year-old father's lap, a practice prohibited for the children's ride. He suffered a head injury and remained in the ICU of the Comprehensive Medical Service for almost two weeks, until his discharge at the end of July.
On August 11, at 8:00 a.m., his mother found him unconscious at the family home in Colinas de Solymar (Canelones). He had undergone a CT scan days earlier and was scheduled for a follow-up on August 18. Ciudad de la Costa prosecutor , Cristina Falcomer , ordered an autopsy. The initial report did not reveal the cause. Therefore, additional pathology and toxicology tests were ordered, the recent results of which concluded that his death was due to a respiratory infection.
Cause of death of the boy from Parque Rodó: medical and judicial clues
The pathology report attributes the outcome to a respiratory infection, unrelated to the fall in July. The medical board endorsed these conclusions. The toxicology report did not yield findings that would change this determination. Based on this, the prosecution is continuing its investigations to determine the source of the infection and place it within the child's clinical history.
At the judicial level, the case file includes medical history, imaging studies , intensive care reports, an autopsy report, and a medical board opinion. The prosecution will expand its statements and evaluate additional measures if new information emerges. The central focus of the case today is on the cause of the infection and its temporal traceability.
Brief timeline and checkpoints
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July 19: Fall on the ride; head injury; admission to the ICU.
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End of July: medical discharge.
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August 11, 8:00 a.m.: The child was found unconscious at home.
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Initial autopsy: no conclusive cause.
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Complementary expertise: pathological anatomy and toxicology.
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Updated result: respiratory infection as cause of death; fall unrelated.
At the same time, safety regulations apply to children's rides. The recommendation not to carry children on laps during the ride is intended to reduce the risk of falls. This requirement is included in the park's operating manuals and signage.
The autopsy and complementary forensic examinations follow a standard protocol: body identification, external and internal examination, collection of samples for histopathology and toxicology, and preparation of a technical report with conclusions and justifications. When a medical board approves a report, each specialist reviews the available evidence and signs their agreement with the causal reasoning. In this case, the determination of respiratory infection as the cause of death implies that, medically, the infectious process was sufficient to explain the fatal outcome . The statement "no direct relationship" with the fall refers to medicolegal causality: no immediate link between the traumatic event and the death is proven.
In parallel, the prosecutor's office usually preserves the chain of custody of medical records, X-rays, CT scans, and ICU records, as well as additional statements. It may also request documentation from the gaming operator: permits, maintenance plans, inspection logs, user manuals, and signage. These documents do not change the clinical determination, but they do regulate the timeline and potential administrative responsibilities.
Regarding safety, park manuals establish well-known preventive rules: mandatory passenger restraints, prohibition of carrying children on laps during the ride, minimum height controls, verified closures and locks, and constant supervision. Informing and enforcing these guidelines reduces risks and helps users and operators.
The cause of death of the child from Parque Rodó is being reported with confidentiality because the child is a minor. Good journalistic practices recommend avoiding unnecessary details about the family and address, and focusing on verified facts and identifiable sources. As new reports become available—for example, cultures or specific studies that expand the pathological anatomy—the prosecutor's office will update the file and decide whether further action is appropriate. The focus now is strictly technical: to further determine the origin of the infection, its evolution over time, and any concomitant factors that emerge from the clinical documentation and the forensic reports.
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What did the autopsy determine? Respiratory infection.
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Was the fall directly related? No, according to the medical board.
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What tests were performed? Pathological anatomy and toxicology.
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What's next for the prosecutor's office? Determine the source of the infection.
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What rules apply to rides? No girls or boys on laps; restraint is mandatory.
How forensic examinations work in Uruguay
Link: https://www.gub.uy/ministerio-salud-publica Ministry of Public Health
