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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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N.C. Student’s Family Claims Wrongful Death

(CN) - A North Carolina school board faces wrongful death allegations after a high school football player died at practice on a hot and humid day.

Rodney and Sheila Raines sued the Cumberland County Board of Education and two employees, Duran McLaurin and Lee Williams II, as co-administrators of the estate of Evan Raines.

Raines died Aug. 3, 2013 at the age of 16. He was on the football team at Seventy-First High School in Fayetteville, N.C and a practice was held that day, with the head index above 90 degrees.

"Evan was on his third to fifth set of 200-yard sprints when he collapsed, suffering exertional and heat-induced respiratory distress," the complaint states. "No coach recognized the seriousness of Evan's respiratory distress when he collapsed. Instead, he was yelled at to get up and continue sprinting."

There was a delay in getting Raines treatment because no licensed athletic trainer or first responder was at practice, which is required by state law, according to the complaint. There was also no immersion pool on site for rapid cooling, as required by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association

"After a delayed response by coaches to Evan's respiratory distress, 911 Emergency Services was called, but because EMS was misdirected by a coach to the wrong field, and a gate was left locked preventing their access, Evan's emergency treatment by EMS was delayed for 11 minutes at a critical time," the lawsuit states.

Raines was transported to a hospital but revival efforts were unsuccessful and he was declared dead at 11:59 a.m. He died of respiratory distress and cardiac arrest caused by heat-induced pulmonary edema, according to the complaint.

The lawsuit claims Raines and other players were not given the required amount of water and rest breaks.

Raines' family seeks $25,000. They are represented by David Kirby of Edwards Kirby LLP in Raleigh, N.C.

The school district declined to comment on the lawsuit.

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