A 12th person has died from heat-related causes tied to this summer’s extreme heat, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Jesus Rodriguez, 33, died July 17 due to hyperthermia and environmental heat exposure, in addition to cocaine toxicity, according to the medical examiner’s office. He’s the youngest of the dozen deaths tied to the heat this year.
Cook County has had more deaths related to the heat in 2026 than any other year in the last decade, according to a WBEZ and Chicago Sun-Times analysis of medical examiner data. Nine of the 12 have been Chicago residents, and almost all have been on the South Side. All but one of the deaths happened in July. The first heat-related death this year was recorded July 1.
The county has seen previous years with several heat-related deaths. Cook County recorded six deaths each in 2019 and 2022.
The next most recent heat death happened Tuesday, when Otto Kedzior died of cardiovascular disease complications and heat stress in the 1000 block of South Wood Street, authorities said. He was 64.
But most of the deaths occurred during July’s several bouts of extreme heat.
Claramont Little, of the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood, died early in the morning of July 2 in the same block where she lived, authorities. The medical examiner recently determined her death was caused by a heat stroke.
Others whose deaths have at least in part been attributed to the heat this year include Joseph Huff, 65; Robert Feldon, 77; Stephanie Rodriguez, 45; David Gonzalez, 44; Barbara Whigham, 71; Mike Rodriguez, 57; Daniel Machnikowski, 69; Victor Ferguson, 48; and David P. Sopys, 46.
