The family of a 5-year-old boy has filed a “wrongful death” lawsuit against the Connecticut school where the young collapsed during recess, and later died. It is reported that the suit was filed on the one-year anniversary of the child’s death.
Connecticut Family, Of 5-Year-Old Boy Who Collapsed During Recess And Later Died, Files Lawsuit Against School
On April 5, 2022, 5-year-old Romeo D. Pierre Louis collapsed during recess at his school, identified as Charter Oak International Academy, and two days later he died. It is reported that around 10:45 a.m. on April 5, Romeo was playing outside during recess at the school and collapsed on the ground.
According to his family’s lawsuit, after Romeo collapsed, he was allowed to lie on the ground for nearly 10 minutes, before anyone assisted him or administered any medical treatment — despite the fact that several teachers were in close proximity to him.
The lawsuit also alleges that several of the young child’s classmates had alerted supervising teachers about Romeo’s condition — however, none of the staffers rushed to his aid. They reportedly believed he was participating in a game the children would often play at recess called, “play dead.”
A police report on Romeo’s death also listed that the game was often played during recess at the school. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that by the time the supervising teachers realized that Romeo was not playing a game and was in fact in need of medical treatment, it was too late.
Per the same police report on Romeo’s death, his cause of death, confirmed by the state medical examiner’s office, revealed that the 5-year-old died from “cardiac channelopathy, brugada syndrome (scn5a variant).” They added that the manner of his death was “natural,” and that “no further investigation” was needed.
When Romeo finally arrived to the Connecticut Children’s Hospital, extensive efforts were made to save him, but he sadly died two days later.
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On the one-year anniversary of Romeo’s passing, his family, friends and community gathered to bring flowers and more to a vigil put together by the family at his school playground, where he was last seen by classmates at recess.
On the same day of Romeo’s vigil, his parents, Chantel and D’Meza Shultz Pierre Louis, filed a lawsuit against the town of West Hartford and the West Hartford Board of Education. In their suit, they claimed negligence, and to “recover damages for the wrongful death of their son.”
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