Congolese refugee, 8, died of natural causes after arrival

(Phil Roeder/Flickr)

Authorities say an 8-year-old refugee from Congo died from an infection linked to E. Coli not long after his arrival in Chicago.

The Chicago Tribune reports the Cook County medical examiner's office said Thursday that David Dieme died of E. Coli sepsis due to enterocolitis, an inflammation of the intestines.

The boy arrived at O'Hare International Airport from Dubai on Oct. 4 with his father and several other children. The group was planning to fly on to Texas when a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer noticed that the boy was unresponsive.

Authorities say the boy was sick before boarding the flight to the U.S., but that he reported no symptoms on the plane. He was pronounced dead at a Chicago hospital.