San Diego

An autopsy performed on the body of Mexican farm worker Juan Chabolla Casillas failed to determine a cause of death, San Diego coroner’s deputies said Sunday, and further tests will be conducted at UC Davis.

Deputy Coroner Chuck Bolton said, “Nothing conclusive was found (in the autopsy). We didn’t find any obvious cause of death in the vital organs. It was probably a toxic substance in the system, but we don’t have the equipment to test for pesticide poisons.”

Bolton said tissue and fluid samples were sent to the university to be tested for pesticide poisoning. He said results were expected in 10 working days.

Chabollas collapsed last Monday in a Jamul farm tomato field that had been sprayed with pesticides an hour before he entered the field with other farm workers. Mirada Farms owner Fred Hatashita took Chabolla to an emergency medical clinic in Tijuana, where he was pronounced dead.

Witnesses, however, said Chabollas died in the field before he was placed in a van to be taken for treatment. The initial report on an autopsy performed in Mexico said Chabolla died of asphyxiation caused by massive vomiting.

United Farm Worker Union leader Cesar Chavez asked for an investigation into why Chabollas was driven to Mexico for treatment and into the cause of his death. The UFW requested that the body be brought back to the United States for investigation.

Assistant Atty. Gen. Harley Mayfield and officials from the state and county agriculture departments are looking into the matter.

Hatashita said that no other farm workers reported illnesses.