Autistic man found in van outside of program facility died from ‘heat exposure’

MESA, AZ — A medical examiner has determined that a man with developmental disabilities who was found dead inside a van outside a Mesa facility earlier this summer died from heat exposure.

Lorenzo Lopez, 36, was picked up from his family’s home one day in June around 7:30 in the morning by Pathways for Life to attend a day school program, but did not return at 4:30 p.m. like he usually does.

Lopez was picked up daily by staff with Pathways for Life to attend the daytime program, but he did not return home that day.

Officials with the Mesa Police Department have not released a lot of information about the death investigation, but said Lopez was found dead inside a van around 5:45 p.m.

Lopez was nonverbal and severely autistic.

“What we’ve heard from the family is he had the mental capacity of a 5-year-old and he was not physically able to open a van door like that one on his own,” said Heather Bushor, attorney with the Shapiro Law Team, representing the family.

The attorneys previously said that authorities only told them that Lopez was found dead inside the Pathways van, but did not indicate if he was left in the van or for how long.

Staff members involved in this case were placed on administrative leave while authorities investigate.

According to a Maricopa County Medical Examiner report, Lopez’s cause of death was “environmental heat exposure.”

See our previous reporting on this story in the video player above.