The Bradley County medical examiner said Wednesday that one of two brothers who died from heat in late June had a temperature level of 109 degrees when he was brought into an emergency room.
Dr. Jeffrey L. Miller said that was the reading for three-year-old River Bates when he arrived at Skyridge Medical Center in Cleveland. He said five-year-old Leland Bates was at 103, but that was after he had been transported to Children's Hospital in Chattanooga and had been iced down along the way.
He said of the high temperature for River Bates, "I was there. He was extremely hot to the touch as he came in the door."
The medical examiner said both boys otherwise appeared to be normal and healthy.
Dr. Miller said he listed both deaths as homicides. He said that can be listed if it appeared that the death "was caused by someone else."
Their mother, Natasha Moses Bates, is facing two charges of felony murder.
Authorities have not said whether or not the children were in some confined area.
The temperature was 103 on the day they were first driven to their father's home and then taken on to the emergency room.
The two autopsies were released Wednesday.
Dr. Miller said children are more susceptible to heat than most adults and have fewer resources to deal with it.