A Chicago Police officer who died mysteriously in April breathed cleaning materials sprayed onto a desk in the Morgan Park police station a month earlier, the Cook County Medical Examiner said Wednesday.
The autopsy of Kevin Robinson, 42, shows he died of a lung illness from inhaling the noxious fumes. An autopsy performed April 6 was initially inconclusive.
Robinson was a tactical officer with 15 years of experience with the department. He left behind a wife, Camille, and two teenaged children.
He spent weeks in the hospital in a medically-induced coma after falling ill at work. He died April 4.
A Chicago police spokeswoman said the department is reviewing Robinson's autopsy report, but declined further comment. The Fraternal Order of Police is also looking into the incident and awaiting the results of the Police Department investigation, said FOP spokesman Pat Camden said.
Word of the autopsy report had Robinson's mother, Seretha Robinson, reliving her son's death.
"To me, it's uncalled for. It should have never happened," she said. "He was my hero."
She said she doesn't want her son's death to be in vain. Now widowed and with no more children of her own, Robinson said she has the support of Kevin's police partner, Curtis Smith.
"He calls me mom now. It helps to hear the word," she said.
