Medical Examiner: Iowa City man found under bridge died of natural causes

IOWA CITY - A man found dead under a bridge in Iowa City last month died of natural causes, officials said Monday.

Eric Riskedahl, 45, of Iowa City, died of 'diabetic ketoacidosis due to diabetes mellitus,” said Clayton Schuneman, Johnson County Medical Examiner's Office administrative director.

According to the Mayo Clinic, diabetic ketoacidosis is a complication that arises when the body does not get enough insulin, begins to break down fat as fuel and produces a buildup of acids in the bloodstream.

Symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis include weakness or fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting, excessive thirst and frequent urination, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Riskedahl was found July 1 in a makeshift homeless camp under the Highway 6 bridge at the Iowa River. Police said Riskedahl was homeless, but they were uncertain whether he lived at the camp.

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