A preliminary report from the Los Angeles County medical examiner indicates the cause of death for South East football player Christian Garcia was “blunt head trauma” and the manner listed was “accident.”
Garcia, a junior varsity football player, was injured during an Aug. 23 game against Maywood CES and died on Sept. 3. He was 16.
A GoFundMe page was set up to assist his family.
Garcia was tackling a Maywood player and immediately needed medical assistance. There were two EMTs at the game, and he was later transported by ambulance to a hospital, a Los Angeles Unified School District spokesperson told The Times.
After Garcia tackled a player on the sideline in the second half of the game in South Gate on Aug. 23, he immediately required medical assistance, according to a member of the Los Angeles Football Officials’ Assn. Garcia was taken to a hospital by ambulance and officials called off the rest of the game.
“I was kneeling down and praying that this kid can get healthy and get back up,” said Cesar Trillo, varsity coach for Maywood.
Trent Cornelius, who runs athletics in LAUSD, and Kirsten Farrell, the district’s athletic training coordinator, have declined to comment.
The National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury reports there have been 12 football-related deaths in middle school and high school programs this year.
Schools throughout the area have held moments of silence before games in honor of Garcia.