JCPS to investigate football player’s death

This from Toni at C-J:

Jefferson County Public Schools will open a formal investigation into the death of a 15-year-old Pleasure Ridge Park High School student who collapsed during football practice a week ago, and died on Saturday.

Lauren Roberts, a spokeswoman for the district, said this morning that officials decided to investigate further after reading witness accounts in today’s Courier-Journal.

Four people who were at PRP during the Aug. 20 practice told the newspaper that they heard coaches deny players’ requests for water.None of the witnesses knew if the players requesting water included Max Gilpin, 15, who died three days after collapsing on the field. Jefferson County Deputy Coroner Sam Weakley has said he believes that Max died of complications of heat stroke, although no autopsy was performed.

“District level athletic officials did an initial review last week and on Monday,” Roberts said. “We decided to have our Security and Investigations unit look into this and as soon as Max is laid to rest, we will be talking with players and the witnesses that have come forward.”She added: “From the information we have been given, it does appear that between 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., the players were given three water breaks.

The questions seem to be surfacing in the time after regular practice ended, during the time they were running sprints, which was around 5:30 p.m.” ...