DA: Boy Who Died At Soccer Camp Had No Known Medical Condition
HOLDEN (CBS) - A boy who collapsed at a soccer camp and later died did not have any known medical condition, authorities said Tuesday.
12-year-old Joshua Thibodeau was taking part in a light drill with several others at the Zalgiris Soccer Camp at Wachusett Regional High School Monday morning when he suddenly collapsed and never got back up.
He died less than hour later at UMass Medical Center in Worcester.
In a news conference at Holden Police Headquarters Tuesday, Worcester County District Attorney Joe Early Jr. said a preliminary investigation showed Thibodeau did not have a pre-existing medical condition.
An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.
"They weren't involved in heavy running, hard drills. They had only been participating in a slow, low-level, low-impact drill which had been going on for about 10-15 minutes," Early said.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Karen Twomey reports
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WBZ-TV's Peg Rusconi reports
Wachusett Regional School District Superintendent Tom Pandiscio said there were two water breaks before Thibodeau collapsed. He had not complained about anything in the moments leading up to the incident.
Thibodeau and all of the other players had the mandatory medical waivers allowing them to take part in the summer camp, which re-opened Tuesday morning.
Pandiscio told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 it was a tough call.
"The big picture is that, as a superintendent, is these are children that we said we'd care for and we have that commitment and we need to honor that commitment with the other families."