Athlete Died of Heart Problem, Experts Find

In their final report on the sudden death of a 15-year-old Fillmore athlete, Boston coroners have concluded that she was not the victim of a herbal supplement but of a rare and previously undetected heart condition.

Issued Thursday, the report represents a reversal of the Santa Barbara County coroner’s office’s tentative conclusion in the case. After an autopsy, that office had tentatively linked the death of Rosanna Porras to Ripped Fuel, a stimulant she had reportedly taken to boost her sports performance.

Rosanna collapsed at a soccer practice in April. She was rushed to Santa Paula Memorial Hospital for emergency treatment and died three days later at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.

Her death drew nationwide attention because of the possibility that it was caused by one of the dozens of herbal supplements that are popular with athletes, bodybuilders and dieters. However, that possibility was virtually eliminated by a team from the medical examiner’s office in Boston, which Santa Barbara coroners consulted after Rosanna’s autopsy.

Examining the girl’s heart, the Boston coroners found evidence of Bland-Garland-White syndrome, a congenital defect that affects one in 5,000 babies and often results in death within a year. Few undiagnosed victims of the syndrome make it into their late teens, according to medical experts.