Teen’s death on Pillen Family Farms likely tied to cell disorder, autopsy report shows

ST. EDWARD, Neb. (KOLN) - The 17-year-old boy found dead at a farm belonging to Gov. Jim Pillen likely died due to a rare cell disorder, according to his autopsy report.

The autopsy report for Zachary Panther was released from the Boone County Attorney's Office, and it details a series of investigative conclusions as to how Panther suddenly died at Beaver Valley Pork on April 1.

An amended report shows Panther's cause of death as undetermined , but pathologist Erin Linde wrote that an "anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reaction versus mast cell activation due to unknown/undetermined substance" was what likely killed Panther.

The Boone County Sheriff's Office was called to the hog unit after Panther was found unresponsive inside around 11:30 a.m. He was found on the ground with blood running from his nose. Coworkers provided CPR until medical staff arrived and pronounced him deceased at 11:55 a.m.

Authorities think that Panther was killed within minutes after his medical emergency began, according to his death certificate.

Investigators learned that Panther, who'd been working at the farm for about a month or two, had been spraying foam into gaps in the wall during his shift. He could be seen on camera 45 minutes before he was found unresponsive behaving normally, drinking a cup of water and coughing. His coworkers also noted that he was tired that morning, and his shift began around 5 a.m.

A coroner initially wrote that Panther may have fallen off a bucket and hit his head on a floor jack but said that Panther's collapse went unwitnessed. An autopsy was completed the next day at the Douglas County Morgue, and the autopsy assistants found little wrong with the 17-year-old boy.

No significant injuries to his head nor his internal organs could be found, and only minor abrasions were spotted around his body. They did note, however, some irregularities in his lungs.

Inflammation had been discovered, and mast cells were found to be collected inside the lungs. Linde noted in her summary that Panther had not been treated for allergies in the past, and that there was no evidence to suggest he was susceptible to a condition which could cause a sudden death.

However, she found that "a clonal mast cell disorder and underlying molecular/genetic cardiomyopathy cannot be entirely excluded." Following that conclusion, Linde ruled Panther's cause of death as undetermined and leaned toward an allergic reaction coupled with mast cell activation as the cause.

The theory finding that Panther suffered from a disorder unbeknownst to him followed a separate concern about toxic fumes inside the hog unit. While Panther's condition at the time of his death was largely unremarkable from a coroner's perspective, the teen's toxicology pointed toward something else.

Results from Panther's blood toxicology showed traces of Delta-9 THC and thiosulfate. Thiosulfate is produced in the body when breaking down hydrogen sulfide, a gas commonly found whenever organic material decomposes. The substance is also used in a variety of industrial processes and is commonly known for its pungent smell, similar to the odor of rotten eggs.

The hog unit Panther was found in, a confined space around 10 to 12 feet by seven to eight feet, had been left open for about 30 to 45 minutes before authorities arrived. At the time, neither OSHA nor the company measured the air quality. But Pillen Family Farms did raise concerns of air quality during the investigation.

A total of 1.1 mcg/mL of thiosulfate was found inside of Panther's blood at the time of his death. Linde noted that most fatalities due to hydrogen sulfide toxicity usually occur at concentrations larger than 2.5 mcg/mL, but she wrote that, "depending on the circumstances of a sudden death following hydrogen sulfide exposure, the metabolite thiosulfate may not be detected in the blood."

Because the air quality had not be tested at the time, Linde initially thought that hydrogen sulfide exposure may have been a significant factor. That determination changed after air quality measurements were made at the facility.

The air quality was checked at an undetermined time following the autopsy, and the pathologist wrote that hydrogen sulfide was found in trace amounts. The facility, including the room where Panther was found dead, are regularly ventilated, and no other employees had experienced symptoms of hydrogen sulfide toxicity, according to the report.

Linde concluded that, "an occupation exposure to a substance cannot be entirely excluded, but there is no convincing evidence that his death is related to hydrogen sulfide toxicity or other intoxication."

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration completed its investigation into Panther's death on Sept. 24, but the finalized report has not yet been made public. A representative for OSHA said the administration would not provide comment on the investigation.

Zachary Panther's autopsy report was completed on July 11 at 1:30 p.m. Once it was complete, 10/11 News reached out to the Boone County Attorney's Office to acquire the complete report.

Despite multiple requests and a public records request filed on Aug. 19, Boone County Attorney John Morgan did not provide the report. Pursuant to Nebraska Revised Statute 84-712 , Morgan's office had four business days to confirm or deny the request.

The public records request went unanswered until Sept. 5 when Morgan provided some clarity on the incident but left out any details about 10/11′s request. The report was finally delivered by mail last week after 10/11 News reached out to the Nebraska Attorney General's Office on Sept. 19.