Family of New Jersey middle school football player who died at practice sues league

The family of Newark, New Jersey middle school football player Elijah Brown-Garcia, who died at practice, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the league and coaches.

Brown-Garcia, 12, suffered a medical emergency on Feb. 10, 2023, during a practice at Westside Park, but did not receive immediate aid from coaches or league officials, according to the suit filed in Essex County Superior Court on Jan. 29.

New Jersey middle school football player Elijah Brown-Garcia wrongful death lawsuit

The Essex County Predators and Big 21 United Youth Football & Cheer are named as defendants in the wrongful death lawsuit.

According to the suit, Elijah collapsed during practice, but coaches did not perform CPR nor use defibrillators. His younger brother witnessed the incident and called their mother, pleading for help, according to the suit.

The suit says the league failed to provide trained medical personnel at practices, did not properly train coaches in CPR and emergency response, and negligently supervised its staff, according to the lawsuit.

Several people called 911, but the boy’s family said it took up to 30 minutes for emergency responders to arrive.

He had no known prior medical issues

 A cause of death was not revealed in the lawsuit. Additionally, Elijah’s mother told ABC-7 that he had no prior medical issues.

Elijah was a sixth-grader at KIPP Rise Academy, a charter school in Newark.

“He had so much more time to go. He had so much more time to be here,” the child’s mother said during an interview with ABC-7 after her son’s death.