Freak accident on school stairwell has left 13-year-old dead
A 13-year-old student who fell from a second-floor stairwell at his middle school has died of his injuries a week after the incident, according to WBTV. The eighth-grader, who has not been identified, as the family is requesting “total privacy,” was a student at Northview Middle School in Hickory, N.C.
FOX46 said that the young teen was trying to “slide down the stairwell on his stomach” on March 25 when he lost his balance. He was airlifted to a hospital in Charlotte to treat serious injuries.
There is a four-foot-high protective railing along the stairs, and officials will review camera footage of the incident to see what led to the tragic accident, according to WSOC.
Northview Middle School Principal Nala Saddler-Sherrill shared the following message on Facebook on March 28: “We have all experienced a very difficult week — as one of our 8th grade students took a fall from the 2nd floor stairwell this past Monday. We continue to keep this student in our thoughts and prayers.”
It continued, “I realize everyone’s desire to receive an update on our student’s condition; however, at this time, we must respect the privacy of the family. We cannot provide updates as this is a personal, family matter. Any updates will be confirmed by the family when they feel ready to move in that direction.
“In the meantime, we thank you for your kind words, your encouragement, your prayers, and your generous outreach. We will continue to provide additional counseling for our school family.”
Staffers at the school were informed of the student’s death on Monday afternoon.
Director of communications for Hickory Schools, Beverly Snowden, did not immediately respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s requests for comment, but told FOX46, “The entire District of Hickory is completely heartbroken. This is a horrific loss.”
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