Student dies after suffering medical emergency on 8th grade field trip, officials say

GRANBY, Conn. (WFSB/Gray News) - A Connecticut student has died after suffering a medical emergency in a pool at a children’s camp during an eighth-grade field trip.

Granby Police responded to High Meadow Day Camp on Wednesday afternoon after a report of a drowning. A spokesperson from High Meadow says an eighth-grade student with Springfield Public Schools was on a field trip when he suffered a medical emergency in the pool.

A Simsbury police officer who was working a private detail at the facility went to the pool and started treating the student at the scene, according to Granby Police.

The boy was taken to a local hospital, where he later died.

“While we do not have any further information at this time, and therefore are unable to provide additional details, all of us at High Meadow are deeply saddened, and are praying for his family, friends, and classmates. In the meantime, we will continue to cooperate with the respective authorities in their review of the incident,” a spokesperson for the day camp said.

Police aren’t releasing the victim’s name.

Students from multiple Connecticut schools were visiting the camp at the time of the incident. Some of those who saw what happened became overwhelmed with emotion, according to police. Additional ambulances were called in to treat these students.

A mother named Abigail says her eighth-grade son is one of the students who witnessed the incident, and he told her about what happened.

“He was like, ‘Well, the kid was playing with his friend. His friend was throwing water at him, and he took a step too far back and slipped into the 6-foot side. That’s when we were all urged to get out of the pool,’” she said.

She says her son came home with a lot of scratches.

“He’s like, ‘That was everyone trying to get out of the pool.’ They were all freaking out about everybody running in trying to save the kid. He said they saw the kid floating in the water,” she said.