Las Vegas artist, set on fire in 1983, died of natural causes
The Clark County coroner’s office has determined that Dave Dave, a Las Vegas artist whose father set him on fire as a child, died of natural causes.
Dave, born David Rothenberg, died July 15 at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas. He was 42.
When Dave was 6, his father doused his bed with kerosene and set it on fire at a Buena Park, California, motel in 1986, during a bitter custody battle with Dave’s mother.
Dave survived, but was left with burns over 90 percent of his body. He began creating art at age 19, and his works have appeared at the West Hollywood House of Blues, the Joseph Watson Collection, Martini Lounge and Eden at the Arts Factory in Las Vegas.
The coroner determined that Dave died from sepsis due to pneumonia. His manner of death was ruled natural.
Contact Max Michor at mmichor@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0365. Follow @MaxMichor on Twitter.