(L.A.) Jose Ruiz Garcia, 81, Died at a Residence

Case Number: 2024-10789

Los Angeles County is reporting the death of an 81-year-old Latino male that occurred at his residence.

The coroner’s office has identified the man as Jose Ruiz Garcia.

Manner of Death: Natural

Cause of Death: Diabetic Ketoacidosis

RIP JOSE RUIZ GARCIA (September 15, 1942 – July 6, 2024)

Formal pronouncement of death was made on Saturday at 8:16 p.m.

Ruling by the deputy medical examiner was published on September 23.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) happens to people with diabetes when their body doesn’t have enough insulin. Without insulin, the body can’t use sugar for energy, so it starts breaking down fat instead, which creates harmful acids called ketones that can make a person very sick if they build up too much.

DKA can be more dangerous for the elderly. While younger people with DKA have a low death rate of about 2%, for the seniors it’s around 20% to 30 percent. Several factors make DKA riskier for older folks, including other health problems they might have, weaker immune systems, and the fact that their bodies don’t handle stress as well as younger people’s do.