12-year-old dies after collapsing in PE class, California family says. ‘Devastating’
A California middle school student died after collapsing during a PE class just weeks into the new school year, media reports say.
Yahshua Robinson, 12, was in class at Canyon Lake Middle School in Lake Elsinore on Tuesday, Aug. 29, when he collapsed and became unconscious, the boy’s family told KTLA5 News. After arriving at the hospital, he went into cardiac arrest and died.
The family told the outlet they believe the boy died as a result of the excessive heat in the area.
In an email to McClatchy News on Aug. 31, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said it responded to the school around 11 a.m. “regarding a juvenile medical aid.” The child died after being taken to a hospital.
“This is an ongoing investigation, and no further details are available at this time,” deputies said.
The Lake Elsinore Unified School District did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment.
In a statement to Patch, the school district said it is “deeply saddened” by Yahshua’s death.
“This is a time of great sorrow for the entire community,” the district said.
The high in the area on Tuesday was 105 degrees Fahrenheit, according to The Weather Channel.
The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for the area from Aug. 28 through Aug. 30, the city of Lake Elsinore said in a Facebook post.
Amarna Plummer, Yahshua’s aunt, told NBC4 that someone should be “held accountable” in her nephew’s death.
“This is terrible. It happened on somebody else’s watch,” Plummer told the outlet.
Yahshua is survived by his parents and three siblings, who are navigating a “devastating reality,” according to a GoFundMe set up for the family.
“The void Yahshua leaves behind is profound,” the GoFundMe says. “The agony of losing a child is indescribable, and as we wait with heavy hearts for the autopsy results, we are reminded of the unpredictability of life.”
Lake Elsinore is about 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
This story was originally published August 31, 2023 at 12:07 PM with the headline "12-year-old dies after collapsing in PE class, California family says. ‘Devastating’."
