‘Healthy’ hiker & skateboard pro, 37, killed by shock post-drinking symptom after naked body found face down in water

A HIKER and professional skateboarder whose naked body was found on a remote trail, died from a shocking post-drinking symptom, an autopsy has confirmed. Joanna Ruth Shields from Carlsbad, California, was found near Sykes Hot Springs on a remote Big Sur hiking trail on April 10. Joanna Ruth Shields, a 37-year-old skateboarder, died from Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome, an autopsy has found Credit: Instagram/jojoeskates Shields’ death was initially treated as suspicious after she was found naked and face-down in water with a cut to her face and marks on her neck Credit: Instagram/jojoeskates A suspicious death investigation was triggered when fears rose that she had been attacked after suspicious marks were found on her face and neck. The 37-year-old was discovered by fellow hikers face-down in water in just her bra with a cut over her eye and marks on her neck. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! At the time, the hikers raised suspicions about a man they also saw near the scene who appeared “scared, nervous, and shocked,” and who told them he was her friend. But now, the coroner has released the results of the autopsy revealing there was no foul play involved in her death and that she died from alcohol withdrawal syndrome. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Shields died of “probable alcohol withdrawal seizures due to chronic alcohol use disorder.” Shields had a known history of bipolar disorder and alcoholism, with her sister telling investigators that she had suffered from such seizures before, though not since getting sober. Meanwhile, the marks on her neck were caused by insect bites that occurred after she died and the cut on her head was determined to be superficial and not a contributing factor to her death. “Investigators found no evidence during the forensic examination or throughout the investigation to indicate that Ms. Shields was the victim of a crime,” the official report states. Most read in The Sun Alcohol withdrawal syndrome impacts those who have been chronically drinking for a prolonged period of time and who then suddenly cut that intake which the body has since adjusted to. Symptoms can range from mild to severe, where delirium sets i, n causing hallucinations, disorientation, confusion, and physical agitation. According to the Cleveland Clinic, mild symptoms can begin within six hours of stopping or drastically reducing long-term alcohol use. These include headaches, insomnia, excessive sweating, heart palpitations, increased blood pressure and heart rate, and stomach issues. More severe side effects typically begin after 24 hours of the last drink and these include hypothermia, tremors, confusion, hallucinations, seizures and delirium. If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the Emergency Substance Abuse Hotline at 1-800-622-HELP (4357) or text your zip code to HELP4U (435748). Comment now