California Obituaries, Los Angeles County

Submitted by Sally Kaleta 17 Nov 2010

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit 
or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations 
desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain 
the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of 
the submitter. All persons donating to this site retain the rights to 
their own work.

The Downey Eagle 
Friday, September 17, 1999
Vol. 7 No. 30

83-year-old victim of bee attack dies
LONG BEACH-The 83-year-old man who was attacked by killer bees as he mowed his lawn in the 
4800 block of Autry Avenue in Long Beach Aug. 31, died Saturday, Sept. 11 in Lakewood Regional 
Medical Center. 
Virgil Foster's death is attributed to an estimated 200 stings he suffered before his son could put 
on his father's beekeeping protective garb and pull the victim to safe cover. 
Unaware hives had changed

Foster, a beekeeper, was unaware that the hives he kept had become Africanized and were now a 
far more violent strain than the European bees he was accustomed to dealing with. 
Darryl Sexton, chief health officer for Long Beach, said Foster showed all the signs of multiple 
system failure, a condition associated with heart, lung, brain and kidney problems brought on by 
bee toxin caused by multiple stings. 

Age factor
He added the victim's age was also a factor. The old and very young are particularly vulnerable to 
bee toxin. 
The death is the first in California associated with the arrival of the Africanized bees, and the sixth 
since their arrival in the U.S. 
Another large swarm of Africanized bees was found and destroyed in San Pedro near Third Street 
and Pacific Avenue Monday, Sept. 13. 
Residents who see a hive or swarm should call County Vector Control at (800) 925-3800. In case of 
injury call the Downey Fire Department.