The residence of Tasha Moses was searched as part of an ongoing investigation in allegations of possible drug activity and the deaths of River Bates, 3, and Leland Bates, 5, according to Bob Gault, media relations coordinator for the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office.
Gault said investigators requested the Southeast Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force truck to the scene.
Officials rushed to a home around 3 p.m. June 28, on Armstrong Road where they had reports of two young children unresponsive and possibly drowned.
Investigators began looking into the case at Moses’ Keith Valley Road residence where the children had been outside playing, according to initial reports from BCSO.
River Bates died at SkyRidge Medical Center a short time after the incident was reported. Leland Bates died the following day, according to reports.
Hyperthermia was been ruled as the cause of death, according to Dr. Jeff Miller, Bradley County medical examiner. Temperatures recorded in the county on that day reached 105 degrees with 22 percent humidity.
The manner of death (that is, the circumstances surrounding the hyperthermia) still remains under investigation by the BCSO Criminal Investigations Division.
Eric Blach, lead investigator for the Bradley County Medical Examiner’s Office, said initial indications were the children died as a result of high temperatures.
Hyperthermia results from heat stroke or heat prostration.
“The hypothalamus gland regulates body temperatures. The brain begins to shut the body down because it can’t regulate the internal body temperature,” Miller explained when initial autopsy results were released.
Officials would not comment on what the children’s core body temperatures were at the time of the discovery; however, both children did have elevated core temperatures, according to Blach.
Toxicology results have not been received by investigators.
Gault said investigators would not comment on “what was or what was not found” during the Friday search at the Moses home.
