HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — According to the Houston Federation of Teachers, staff at Marshall Middle School reported that the school’s defibrillator was not functioning when an eighth-grade student collapsed during gym class on Wednesday. Other students and staff attempted to assist the boy.
Defibrillators are crucial for restoring a heartbeat when it stops.
Corina Ortiz from the Houston Federation of Teachers expressed concerns that the malfunctioning defibrillator might have impacted the outcome, noting the delays in finding a backup device and waiting for EMS.
Ortiz mentioned that a third-party contractor is responsible for servicing the defibrillators annually, but it’s unclear if this was done at Marshall Middle School. “Why wasn’t this machine checked? What happened?” Ortiz questioned.
Paramedics arrived shortly before 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday and transported the boy to the hospital. HISD later confirmed that the student passed away the following day. The cause of death is still under investigation.
HISD expressed deep sorrow for the loss, stating, “We are devastated by the loss of a Marshall Middle School student. Our deepest sympathy and condolences go out to the family.”
Eyewitness News reached out to HISD for a response to the union’s claims about the defibrillator but did not receive a reply by late Thursday.
State Rep. Christina Morales visited the school on Thursday after demanding answers from HISD and the Texas Education Agency regarding the incident. She spoke with the boy’s father, who was also seeking information but had received none.
HISD did not specify when the student passed away but confirmed the death in a statement on Thursday. The district has deployed a crisis response team to the school, which will remain on campus for the rest of the week.
