Connecticut teachers thought kid who died at recess was just “playing dead”
Parents in West Hartford, Connecticut are continuing to mourn the loss of their son after the 5-year-old died at his school. In April 2022, Romeo Pierre-Louis was playing during recess when he collapsed. According to a lawsuit filed by the child’s mother and father, teachers believed he was pretending to “play dead” for almost 10 minutes.
In an article published yesterday (April 9) by The New York Post, the outlet said the parents filed their lawsuit last week, exactly one year after Pierre-Louis passed away. At the time of the fatal incident, other students reportedly alerted nearby teachers that the little boy was in need of assistance, but the instructors did not take their cries for help seriously until it was too late. Police later confirmed the children were known to participate in the “play dead” game during recess.
An autopsy revealed Pierre-Louis died of natural causes after a medical examiner concluded “cardiac channelopathy [due to] brugada syndrome (SCN5A variant)” meant no further investigation was necessary. However, the parents are suing the Connecticut school and city for the teacher’s negligence. Last week, a vigil was held to honor the young child on the day of his death. Family members and supporters gathered at the playground where he took his last breaths to remember his life. Relatives played back videos of the child reciting Bible scriptures and The Lord’s Prayer.
“We know that nothing will bring our son back. All we can do is keep his memory in our hearts and do what we can, so this doesn’t happen to another child. Listen to our children,” the boy’s mother shared. His older sister described him as “very lovable” and mentioned he loved “superheroes very much.” Following the lawsuit filing, West Hartford, Connecticut acting Superintendent Andy Morrow said, “This tragedy has deeply affected the Charter Oak International Academy community, and the school district continues to make grief support and emotional assistance available to any student or educator who needs it. Due to the pending legal claims, the school district will refrain from further comment.”
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