Leland Bates, 5, and River Bates, 3ALSO READ
Recent deaths not first for Bradley County family
The two young Bradley County boys who died last week were killed by overheating, authorities say.
The preliminary autopsy report on River Bates, 3, and Leland Bates, 5, shows both children died of hyperthermia, said Bob Gault, spokesman for the Bradley County Sheriff's Office.
At this time, specific details of the autopsy report are not being released, he said.
Hyperthermia occurs when the body's core temperature rises to dangerous levels above the normal 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit and doesn't drop, according to the WebMD website.
The sheriff's office Criminal Investigations Division is continuing its investigation into the deaths, Gault said.
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