An 8-year-old girl named Sydney Weston from Carl Junction, MO, tragically passed away during a commercial flight to Chicago on Thursday morning. The Peoria County Coroner’s Office reported that Sydney became ill and unresponsive during the flight, prompting her family to seek immediate assistance from the flight personnel.
The Peoria County Sheriff’s Office responded to a medical emergency on the flight, which had originated from Joplin, Missouri and was bound for Chicago. Despite efforts to aid Sydney, she was found not breathing and without a pulse upon landing in Peoria.
She was swiftly transported to OSF Healthcare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, where medical professionals continued resuscitative efforts. Unfortunately, Sydney was pronounced deceased at 8:05 a.m. The initial autopsy did not reveal the cause of death, and further tests are scheduled to provide more clarity in the coming weeks.
The Peoria County Coroner’s Office emphasized that there were no indications of foul play, abuse, or neglect in Sydney’s case. The authorities are committed to conducting thorough investigations to determine the exact cause of her untimely passing.
The airline involved in the incident confirmed that the flight was diverted to Peoria, IL, to allow paramedics to attend to Sydney's medical emergency. The crewmembers and medical personnel acted promptly to address the situation, although their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful in saving Sydney's life.
