Authorities unable to find family of substitute teacher who died at Shaw Middle School

Authorities are unable to locate the next of kin of a teacher who died last week at Shaw Middle School.

Steven Lynn Cook, 55, died Wednesday morning after going into cardiac arrest, according to Spokane Public Schools officials. He was substitute teaching.

On Monday, following an autopsy, the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office listed the cause of Cook’s death as atherosclerotic coronary vascular disease, or narrowing of the arteries that carry blood to the heart.

Cook also suffered from diabetes, according to the examiner’s report.

However, five days after Cook’s death, neither the county nor Spokane Public Schools could provide additional information or locate his family members, if any exist.

“Our office frequently deals with cases where a deceased individual’s next-of-kin are not immediately known,” the medical examiner’s office stated in an email Monday afternoon.

“We do use multiple resources, such as a person’s place of employment, law enforcement records, and medical records, just to name a few, to attempt to locate family,” the statement continued.

Records show that Cook lived in an apartment in Spokane Valley, though it’s unclear whether he lived alone.

Likewise, the school district had no additional information on Cook, who was found Wednesday morning by students at Shaw.

First responders arrived at about 9 a.m. but were not able to revive Cook with portable defibrillators.

The school called the district’s crisis team and grief counselors were on hand later that day to speak with teachers and students.