The family of a young man is seeking answers in the sudden death of their 14-year old boy, Kamarr Scott, while on school property.
News reports say that the young man was participating in P.E. class at Somerset Academy Village, a public charter school in Wilton Manors.
The young man had apparently been doing laps around the track field when he collapsed without warning. He was rushed off to the hospital, where he later died. The family says he has no history of poor health, and that Kamarr was a sweet, loving child.
The circumstances surrounding what happened to Kamarr seem to indicate that he died of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), a condition in which the heart suddenly stops functioning correctly. SCA can quickly lead to permanent brain damage, or worse, in a very short amount of time if not quickly reversed with an AED.
Could an AED have saved Kamarr’s life, and was an AED used by school staff?
Somerset Academy may have been required to keep an AED (automated external defibrillator) on school premises at all times. Further, the school may have been subject to laws which extend a “duty of care” to the teachers and staff.
That means that if an AED was not present on campus grounds, or if it was present but was not used on Kamar as we experienced SCA, the family may have a Wrongful Death claim against the school.
Often, AED’s are required to be present in places like public schools, including public charter schools, but aren’t always functional, or they aren’t always used. That may create liability on the part of the school and staff for the negligent death of a child due to SCA.
Whether or not a case exists in any particular situation is the responsibility of a personal injury law firm with experience in AED law and heart attacks in public places to figure out.
Consultations for matters similar to the unfortunate circumstances of young Kamarr are free and confidential for surviving family members of children who died due to SCA, or an AED not being used.
If you or someone you know has lost a child on school property due to SCA, please give our law firm a call as soon as possible to find out if we can help.