12 year old football player dies: Vaccine fears surface in wake of Elijah Jordan Brown Garcia's death

A 12 year old New Jersey boy named Elijah Jordan Brown Garcia tragically died after collapsing on the field during a no-contact football practice on February 10.

According to his family and a school spokesperson, the sixth-grade student at Newark’s KIPP Rise Academy was running drills before collapsing and turning unresponsive.

Brown Garcia played for the Essex County Predators league and was practicing with his 10 year old brother prior to his demise. His younger brother Mekhi told The Daily Mail that the 12 year did not suffer any impact or head injury before collapsing on the ground:

“He didn't get hit, like no contact or anything. He ran about 20 yards, said he was going to take a little break. I don't think he took enough time.”

Elijah Jordan Brown Garcia's heartbroken mother Raven Brown opened up about her son’s death while speaking to News 12 New Jersey:

“He was so happy to be there. He didn’t know that it was going to be his last day.”

She said Brown Garcia's younger brother called her to inform that the 12 year old was not responding:

“I said, ‘What are they doing? What is anybody doing?’ And he said, ‘They are pouring water on him, and they are fanning him.’ And that’s when I got my kids together and I said, ‘I’m on my way.’”

The 12 year old’s sudden death also sparked COVID-19 vaccine fears on social media. However, it is not known if the child was vaccinated or if his sudden fatal condition was related to the jab.

Elijah Jordan Brown Garcia's cause of death is yet to be revealed and his family is currently waiting for autopsy results.

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Netizens reacts to COVID-19 vaccine fears in connection to 12 year old Elijah Jordan Brown Garcia's sudden death

12 year old Elijah Jordan Brown Garcia's sudden death sparked vaccination fears online (Image via @/ChanceGardi/Twitter)

Elijah Jordan Brown Garcia, a 12 year old footballer, passed away on February 10 after suddenly collapsing on the field during a football practice.

As the news of his tragic demise circulated online, some social media users, especially anti-vaxxers, attempted to connect the child’s death to COVID-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, some users questioned whether the boy was vaccinated at all prior to his death.

In the wake of Elijah Jordan Brown Garcia’s demise, his mother told the press that no one could perform CPR on her son and they had to wait for the ambulance to provide him medical care.

Raven Brown said she asked the coach of the team why her son could not be resuscitated and the coach told her none of them were CPR certified:

“Those coaches out there, they need to be CPR certified. He was a great kid, a great, amazing kid, and he didn't deserve this.”

Brown-Garcia's aunt Sable Shelton also called out the lack of immediate medical attention on the field:

“You have adults that are supposed to be in charge of our kids, and they don't have the bare minimum when it comes to CPR or being able to realize what is an emergency and what's not.”

She continued:

“We have this conversation about football all the time when it comes to them big, known players. But why we don’t have the bare minimum for the children, the kids — and my nephew had to witness it.”

Brown also told CBS2 that people on the called 911 twice, and she called them for a third time before rushing over to the scene. She mentioned that the ambulance was delayed and arrived about 30 to 40 minutes after the incident.

The 12 year old was ultimately taken to the University Hospital in Newark and pronounced dead at the scene. Brown also confirmed that her son had no prior health issues. Reports suggest a memorial service and balloon release at the field is currently being planned for Saturday.