The official cause of death of a Brazilian Taylor Swift fan that attended her concert has been revealed.
According to the Associated Press, Ana Clara Benevides, 23, was in attendance for Swift’s Eras Tour on Nov. 17 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The country had been experiencing a major heat wave that week with temperatures rising to 40 degrees Celsius (105 Fahrenheit). Benevides fainted during the singer’s second song and was transported to a local hospital where she died hours later.
Per AP, the forensic report by Rio’s Forensic Medical Institute said that Benevides’ exposure to the high temperatures seriously compromised her lungs, leading her to cardiorespiratory arrest and sudden death. The report also claims that the 23-year-old that no preexisting conditions nor substance abuse played a role in her death.
The news outlet reports that fans had been lined up outside of Nilton Santos Stadium for hours before the show began. Fans, who reportedly were not allowed to bring in their own water bottles, accused the organizers of failing to deliver ample water supplies for more than 60,000 concertgoers.
T4F, the organizers behind the concert, said in a statement that the company “followed the best practices,” and complied with “every demand from authorities,” in addition to distributing “thousands” of bottles of water to fans. The company also denied that it did not allow fans to bring their own water into the concert.
Rio’s public prosecutor has reportedly opened a criminal investigation. Representatives from the organizer will be called to testify once the forensic report has been thoroughly analyzed, according to a statement by the prosecutor.
Swift responded to Benevides’ death in a statement shared to her social media, writing, "I can't believe I'm writing these words but it is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show. I can't even tell you how devastated I am by this. There's very little information I have other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young."
During Swift’s Nov. 19 concert in Rio de Janeiro, she performed "Bigger Than The Whole Sky" off her album Midnights as a tribute to the young woman.
