Newark Family Stunned After Boy Dies During Football Practice

NEWARK, NJ — Elijah Jordan Brown-Garcia passed away doing what he loved, his family says: playing football.

A Newark family is mourning their 12-year-old son, who died during football practice at the West Side Park football field last week. The boy – who they say did not have any prior known health issues – collapsed while running drills that didn’t involve physical contact, News 12 New Jersey reported.

The youth was a member of the Essex County Predators, a team owned by Bloomfield-based Big 21. The family is trying to get more answers about what happened that day and whether more could have been done to save his life, and says they are considering legal action.

His mother told RLS Media that the state regional medical examiner’s office plans to conduct an autopsy to determine the official cause of Elijah's death.

A GoFundMe campaign seeks to raise money for funeral expenses, and has seen contributions from more than 250 donors as of Thursday. See the campaign or make a donation here.

The GoFundMe page reads:

“Elijah was an outgoing, loving young kid. He loved dancing and football and loved his family. He made sure everyone was comfortable with his infectious smile. He loved going to school and he loved his friends. At a young tender age of 12, Elijah passed away playing football, doing what he loved. No amount is too small.”

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