Teen dies after being restrained by teacher at El Dorado Hills school
A private alternative school in El Dorado, Calif., is mourning the loss of a 13-year-old student who died two days after an incident at school in which he was restrained.
The Guiding Hands School student, whose identity has not been made public, had severe autism, according to the El Dorado Sheriff’s Office. The student reportedly became violent in class on Nov. 28, which led to school staff members then restraining him from harming other students. While being restrained, the 6-foot-tall 280-pound teen became unresponsive and 911 was called, the sheriff’s office said in a statement on its Facebook page.
El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office said that a teacher performed CPR until medical aid arrived. The student was subsequently transferred to Mercy Folsom hospital in critical condition and then to UC Davis. He died on Nov. 30.
“At this time, there appears to be no evidence of foul play or criminal intent,” the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office said in its press release, although further information about the incident and the student himself have not been made available.
Guiding Hands School’s spokesman Scott Rose provided Yahoo Lifestyle with the following statement:
It is with heavy hearts that we share the very difficult news that a beloved member of our school community has passed away. Out of respect for the family, and the ongoing investigation, we are unable to share full details at this time. There was an incident on campus involving a student in which staff needed to utilize a nationally recognized behavior management protocol to address the situation. After the incident, an emergency ensued.
Rose additionally said, “We are devastated by this loss and remain committed to the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff.”
The private school has about 150 students who are typically referred by schools that are unable to serve them.