Martha Parke Custis

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Martha Parke Custis (1756 – June 19, 1773) was a stepdaughter of George Washington who died from an epileptic seizure at the age of 17, fifteen years before he was elected as the first president of the United States. She was the youngest child of Martha Custis, who later became known as Martha Washington, and Daniel Parke Custis, who died one year after she was born. She was called "Patsy" by her family. Analysis of George Washington's diary entries describing Patsy Custis's seizures and the treatments she received have led modern medical historians to conclude that the cause of death was SUDEP, or sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. Her death is considered one of the first well-documented descriptions in history of SUDEP by a witness, who happened to be George Washington.

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