Cause of death confirmed for fan who tragically died at Taylor Swift concert
A forensics report has confirmed the cause of death of 23-year-old Taylor Swift fan who died at one of her gigs in Brazil.
Ana Clara Benevides was among thousands of fans who attended Swift's gig in Rio de Janeiro on 17 November, as the singer continued her Eras tour following a successful run in the US.
Fans lined up for hours outside the stadium, while temperatures in the city reached roughly 105°F (40°C), before they made their way inside where Swift launched into her set.
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Benevides had taken her first flight to travel from the country’s center-west region to see Swift, but during the second song, 'Cruel Summer', Benevides passed out.
The fan was taken to hospital, but sadly passed away.
Swift paid tribute to the fan in a statement afterwards, sharing a post which read in part: "I want to say now I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends.
“This is the last thing I ever thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil.”
Swift also invited Benevides' loved ones, including her father, Weiny Machado, to her final show in Brazil in honor of the late fan.
Today (27 December), a forensics report obtained by The Associated Press revealed that Benevides died as a result of heat exhaustion.
The report, written by Rio’s Forensic Medical Institute, said the fan did not have preexisting conditions or evidence of substance abuse that could have led to her death, and stated her exposure to heat led to a cardiorespiratory arrest.
The forensics expert, who analyzed Benevides' body, wrote in the document that she had 'serious compromise of her lungs and sudden death' as a result of the heat.
One of Benevides’ friends, who also attended the concert, told local media the pair had been given water while they waited to enter the stadium. Although, other attendees have claimed there were not enough water supplies at the event, and that they were not allowed to take their own water inside.
Following Benevides' death, Serafim Abreu, CEO of T4F who organized the event, said the company would change its protocols for events under extreme heat.
The office of Rio’s public prosecutor opened a criminal investigation into Benevides' death after the concert.
In a statement released today, the police said: "representatives of the company organizing the event will be called to testify," after the forensics report is analyzed.
UNILAD has contacted T4F for comment.
Topics: Celebrity, Health, Music, Taylor Swift, World News, US News, Travel
Emily Brown