Members of the local community were shocked and saddened to hear a visiting teen died after collapsing during a soccer game on Canada Day.
On July 1 at about 7:51pm local police officers, Mapleton firefighters and Guelph-Wellington paramedics responded to Riverside Park in Drayton for a report of a 13-year-old boy “in medical distress,” stated a press release from Wellington County OPP.
Constable Cheri Rockefeller explained bystanders at the soccer field started CPR on the player while they waited for emergency crews to arrive.
The boy was transported to hospital and was later pronounced dead.
“It’s just so sad,” said Rockefeller.
She added the boy, who is not from Wellington County, was taking part in an organized soccer game.
The Drayton U-14 team was scheduled to play a team from Wallace, in neighbouring North Perth Township, at the time of the incident.
Rockefeller could not confirm the cause of death, noting a post mortem was scheduled for July 2. She said police continue to investigate the incident.
Police announced on July 3 that, “Respecting the family’s request at this difficult time, the name and the cause of death will not be released.”
