Steele student believed to have choked to death

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More details have been released in the somewhat mysterious death of a six year old Galesburg boy who was found unresponsive early Thursday morning in his home and who later died.
Knox County Coroner Mark Thomas says preliminary results show Jaden Lester likely choked to death.

“We were able to determine that in fact Jaden did have some constriction in the airway, due to his tonsils being inflamed,” Thomas says. “At this point, we’re not sure what caused the inflammation of the tonsils.”

Thomas says Lester had complained of having a sore throat Wednesday. The boy did not have a history of allergies or any long term illness. With the exception of the sore throat, Thomas says nothing seemed out of the ordinary. 

Authorities do not believe any sort of foul play or crime was involved either. 

What caused Lester’s tonsils and throat to swell remains unknown. Thomas says they are awaiting lab results now to try and find some answers.

“We’re also doing bacterial and viral cultures,” Thomas says. “That’s to see if we can point to something specific like strep throat or mono. At this point, we just don’t know what caused them to become inflamed so suddenly like they did.”

The results could take up to two weeks before they are returned. Lester was a first grade student at Steele Elementary School who district officials have said was “a happy go-lucky little boy” and a “Steele school superstar.”

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