ABC News' Dax Tejera died from choking amid 'acute alcohol intoxication' — not from a heart attack as news network originally indicated



ABC News' Dax Tejera died from choking amid "acute alcohol intoxication," USA Today reported — not of a heart attack as the news network originally indicated in December.

What are the details?

USA Today — citing the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner — said the 37-year-old executive producer died Dec. 23 from "asphyxia due to obstruction of airway by food bolus complicating acute alcohol intoxication."

Tejera's death also was ruled an accident, USA Today reported.

Kim Godwin, president of ABC News, issued a staff memo at the time of Tejera's passing that indicated he died "suddenly of a heart attack," the Hollywood Reporter said.

Fox News said ABC News did not immediately respond to its request for comment.

In addition, Tejera's wife, Veronica, was charged in early January after police said she and her husband left their 5-month-old girl and 2-year-old girl unattended while the couple went out to dinner on the evening Dax Tejera died.

A spokesperson for the NYPD’s public information office told Variety that Veronica Tejera was booked on two counts of “acting in a manner injurious to a child."

Police said they responded to a report of unattended children at the address of the Yale Club, a members-only Manhattan hotel.

According to the New York Post, Veronica Tejera said in a statement that when her husband collapsed, she accompanied him to the hospital and asked her parents and a close friend to watch their children “as I monitored them by camera.”

But she said the hotel wouldn’t allow her friend in and called police instead, the Post noted.

However, the Post — citing sources — said "the children were left unattended for much longer while the two went out on the town at Bobby Van’s 230Park, around the corner from the private club, before Dax Tejera, 37, collapsed outside the eatery."

Veronica Tejera was given a desk ticket and released.

Anything else?

Dax Tejera was executive producer of the ABC News Sunday public affairs program "This Week," the Reporter said.

Congressional correspondent Rachel Scott reported on Tejera's death and said he "will be deeply missed by all of us here at ABC News":

\u201c.@RachelvScott reports on the sudden passing of Dax Tejera, the Executive Producer of @ABCThisWeek. In a memo to employees, @ABC President Kim Godwin said that Dax's passion and love for the show shined every Sunday morning.\u201d
— World News Tonight (@World News Tonight) 1671933614

37-year-old ABC News executive producer dies 'suddenly' of heart attack



A 37-year-old ABC News executive producer died "suddenly" of a heart attack Friday, according to the Hollywood Reporter, which cited a memo from the president of the news network.

What are the details?

Dax Tejera was executive producer of the ABC News Sunday public affairs program "This Week," the Reporter noted.

Here's the Saturday memo to ABC News staff from Kim Godwin, president of the news network, according to the magazine:

ABC News Family,

It’s with a heavy heart and great sadness that we share that our friend and colleague, Dax Tejera passed away suddenly of a heart attack last night.

As EP of “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” Dax’s energy, passion and love for that show, ABC News, and you, shined every Sunday morning. That same love was extended to his precious girls.

Our thoughts are with his wife, Veronica, the couple’s two young daughters, and the entire Tejera family.

If you need immediate support, please call our 24/7EAP support line.
We will share more details in the coming days.

On this Christmas Eve, hug your loved ones a little tighter. And please lean on each another.

#oneabcnews

Kim

Congressional correspondent Rachel Scott reported on Tejera's death and said he "will be deeply missed by all of us here at ABC News":

\u201c.@RachelvScott reports on the sudden passing of Dax Tejera, the Executive Producer of @ABCThisWeek. In a memo to employees, @ABC President Kim Godwin said that Dax's passion and love for the show shined every Sunday morning.\u201d
— World News Tonight (@World News Tonight) 1671933614

The Reporter said Tejera was a veteran news producer at both ABC and NBC News and had led "This Week" — anchored by George Stephanopoulos, Jonathan Karl, and Martha Raddatz — since just before the COVID-19 outbreak.

The magazine added that Tejera joined ABC News in 2017 as a senior producer based in Washington, D.C., and prior to that was executive producer of Jorge Ramos’ program for the ABC-Univision program Fusion and also worked as an MSNBC producer.

The Reporter said Tejera was known for his "competitive spirit, pushing the 'This Week' team to become the top Sunday public affairs show."