Blood Tests Confirm Tijuana Deaths Due to Asphyxiation

Blood tests performed on three people who died with nine others last week during a nightlong religious ceremony validated earlier reports that they were asphyxiated from carbon monoxide poisoning, a chemist from the Mexican coroner’s office said Monday.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press Monday night quoted the Excelsior news agency as saying three persons had been arrested in connection with the deaths and that Mexican authorities had asked the FBI’s help in finding two other persons.

The news agency quoted Tijuana state judicial police Commander Jaime Sam Fierro as saying the three knew that the victims were in dire straits but did nothing to help them. They have been charged with abandonment. The report said officials have asked the FBI to help identify and find two U.S. citizens who reportedly participated in the ceremony.

The toxicology tests, conducted by the San Diego County medical examiner’s office and forwarded to Mexican officials Monday, also show that a fruit punch consumed by worshipers during the ritual and initially thought to be poisoned contained a small amount of alcohol.

In making their findings official Monday, members of the State Judicial Police in Baja California said they will close their investigation today and forward their findings to the district attorney, who must decide whether anyone is responsible for the deaths.

Unless new information surfaces, police said, they will rule the deaths accidental today.

Twelve people died in the four-room house--its doors and windows shut tight--which was illuminated by a butane-gas lantern that officials say consumed all available oxygen. Three people remain in a coma and may have irreversible brain damage, according to chemist Miguel Cuahutemoc Pallarez Diaz.

Alfredo Osuna Hernandez, 22, and his 8-month-old daughter, Ana Karen Osuna, were released from a Tijuana hospital Monday. Osuna was being questioned by police late Monday.

Toxicology tests performed on three victims--so chosen because their ages constituted a representative sample of the dead--show an abnormally high level of carbon monoxide in the blood, officials said.

One young girl showed a 65.8% level, a 20-year-old woman showed 61.4%, and a woman over 50 showed 73.1%. An average smoker would have less than 10% carbon monoxide in his blood. Someone with a blood level of 50% to 60% carbon monoxide would be susceptible to vomiting and strong headaches, officials said. Between 60% and 70% is known to cause coma or death.

It was not possible to test all of the bodies, Diaz said, because the city lacks a large enough refrigeration system in which to have kept them.

The San Diego County medical examiner’s office is also testing brain, liver and lung samples, with results due next week.

Medical experts discounted reports that Osuna was somehow burned during the ceremony.

Chemist Omar Horta said Osuna could not recall what caused the bruises on his body or face, and speculated that, because other victims also were bruised, it may have been caused by paramedics who tried to revive some of the worshipers.

“I don’t remember having done it to myself or having anyone do it to me,” he said.

Osuna said Monday that nobody was burned, branded or beaten.

Police said Osuna’s story is important because he is the only survivor to emerge from the ritual who is able to speak about the incident. Law enforcement officials said they will release an official version of his statement tomorrow.

Miguel Cervantes contributed to this story.