Autopsy Reveals 12-Year-Old Colton Boy Likely Died From Enlarged Heart
COLTON (CBSLA.com) — An autopsy performed on a 12-year-old Colton boy who died in P.E. class Tuesday revealed he had an enlarged heart.
Dominic Gallegos, 12, died suddenly around 2:15 that afternoon and stunned the Colton community almost immediately.,
Friends told Dominic's father that he tripped while playing soccer and fell. While he was on the ground, Dominic's friends said a boy known as a school bully stepped on his chest repeatedly, then shook him when Dominic stopped breathing. Dominic was taken to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead around 3:15 p.m.
The coroner found no trauma to Gallegos' body.
In addition to finding that Dominic had an enlarged heart, the coroner also said the boy showed signs of early congestive cardiac failure.
Wednesday evening, Dominic's family held a vigil in his honor. Hundreds came to pray.
CBS2's Crystal Cruz attended the vigil.
"Dominic touched a lot of hearts," said his father, "he was a good boy. I wish he was here to be in the center of this attention but he is with the Lord now," he told Cruz.
A GoFundMe account was set up to help Dominic's family pay for funeral expenses. Click here for more information.