Medical examiner releases cause of death for young son of Hanford firefighter
The young child of a Hanford firefighter who died earlier this month died of natural causes, according to the Snohomish County medical examiner.
The medical examiner said the 1 1/2 -year-old Kaysen died from sudden unexplained infant death syndrome. The boy was the child of Hanford firefighter Nicholas Augustavo and his new wife, Nikki.
The syndrome normally affects children under a year old and is the leading cause of death for infants. About 3,500 babies in the United States die suddenly and unexpectedly each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control, which also has a page on its website that informs parents how to provide a safe sleeping area for young children.
The couple were married in early March and went to honeymoon in Hawaii. They left their young child with family while they traveled. Three days after their marriage, the couple learned their young son had died.
Augustavo and his wife returned to Washington hours after learning the news of their son’s death and were met by firefighters on the tarmac at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport when they landed.
Hanford and Paine Field firefighters organized a GoFundMe campaign for the Augustavos, which ended up collecting $54,000 in roughly a week. The money was going to help them with medical bills and other expenses.
This story was originally published March 29, 2019 at 6:35 PM.