A 19-year-old cadet at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado, Avery Koonce, was found lifeless in her dorm room last month. The cause of death was determined to be pneumonia, according to an autopsy report from the El Paso County Coroner’s Office. Koonce, originally from Tyler, Texas, passed away on September 4 due to a condition known as “paeniclostridium sordelli sepsis complicating parainfluenza laryngotraceobronchitis.”
Dr. Michael Baden, a renowned forensic pathologist who reviewed the autopsy report, stated that Koonce essentially died from untreated pneumonia. The coroner’s report described paeniclostridium sordelli as a rare but potentially fatal anaerobic bacteria associated with a toxic shock-like syndrome that can quickly lead to death. However, this condition was secondary to the parainfluenza, or viral lung infection, the report found.
Baden, who previously served as the chief medical examiner of New York City, suggested that the bacteria could have been treated with penicillin, while the virus could have been managed with fluids and antibodies. He explained that Koonce first contracted the viral infection, which weakened her immune system, allowing the bacteria to thrive. He clarified that her death was not related to any preexisting abnormality.
In the days leading up to Koonce’s death, she likely exhibited symptoms such as coughing, fever, and difficulty breathing. The autopsy report noted that the first-year cadet had a chronic cough that had worsened. Despite the severity of her condition, Baden emphasized that it could have been cured with antibiotics. He noted that individuals often fail to seek treatment because they underestimate the seriousness of their illness.
The El Paso coroner declined to comment on the case. Requests for comments from Koonce’s family and the Academy went unanswered.
Koonce was a high school track star and a member of the academy’s track and field team. She had an impressive record as a sprinter at Thrall High School in Taylor, Texas, running 100 meters in 12.12 seconds and 200 meters in 25.67 seconds.
Following her tragic death, Koonce’s parents, Eric and Kelly Koonce, released a statement through the academy. They described their daughter as an “incredible bright light in this broken world” and expressed that their lives would be forever impacted by her absence.