Corolla foal Charlie’s cause of death determined

COROLLA, N.C. (WAVY) — A Corolla foal who had just been born on March 25 died suddenly on April 14.

The Corolla Wild Horse Fund announced that Charlie was with his parents and showed no signs of illness, struggle or distress at the time.

Security camera footage showed he was by the fire station in Carova around 4 p.m. and was walking next to his mother. At 4:19 p.m. he laid down and by 4:30 p.m. he was dead, the fund said.

“We are so deeply grateful to everyone who helped us this afternoon. Thank you for being there for us, and for Charlie,’ the fund wrote on Facebook.

Charlie’s body went to the state lab in Raleigh for a necropsy. The report determined Charlie died from bacterial septicemia, which happens when bacteria enters the umbilicus. That said, the Corolla Wild Horse Fund said there was no sign that he was fed or had eaten something that caused the illness.

The fund says Charlie’s parents and brother are fine, but were very distressed by his sudden death.