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Louisiana man had LSD in system when he drowned at Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival, medical examiner says

Steven Nguyen found face down in canal near stage
WPTV-OKEECHOBEE-MUSIC-FESTIVAL.jpg
Posted at 2:15 PM, May 04, 2023
and last updated 2023-05-04 14:18:27-04

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. — A man who died at this year's Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival had LSD in his system when he drowned, according to a medical examiner's report.

Steven Nguyen, 26, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was found face down in a canal near a stage at the festival on March 4. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Investigators didn't suspect foul play and considered it to be an accidental drowning at the time of the incident.

Adrienne Sauder, the associated medical examiner for St. Lucie County, concluded on April 26 that Nguyen's death was an accident.

The final report said Nguyen's body had acute toxic effects of lysergic acid diethylamide, otherwise known as LSD. The report also said that there was no trauma that could account for the man's death.

The festival released a statement on Instagram after Nguyen died, offering its "deepest condolences" to those impacted by his death.