...
By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A 12-year-old California boy died after collapsing at Canyon Lake Middle School in Lake Elsinore on Tuesday, and his family believes the triple-digit heat wave plaguing southern California is to blame.
Yahshua Robinson was participating in physical education activities when he collapsed, according to a report by KGET. Earlier this week, Lake Elsinore was under an excessive heat warning from Monday morning through Tuesday night, according to a report by Patch. Temperatures were expected to reach triple digits, and the humidity was at 15 percent to 25 percent.
As with many other parts of the nation, the recent heat wave baked parts of southern California earlier this week, heightening temperatures to triple digits in areas like Van Nuys, Lancaster and Santa Clarita, all of which surround the Los Angeles area to the north. Lake Elsinore sits about 70 miles (112km) southeast of Los Angeles, and weathercurrents.com reported that the high on the day Robinson collapsed reached 102.4 degrees Fahrenheit (39.1 Celsius), while the low was 66.6 degrees Fahrenheit (18.8 Celsius). It's unclear during what part of the day the boy was exercising or if he was inside or outside when he collapsed.
Read More
Greg Abbott Draws Outrage After ERCOT’s Rolling Blackouts Warning4 min read
Midwest’s Sweltering Heat Surprisingly Fueled by $90 Billion Industry3 min read
Death Valley Temperatures Plummet as Storm Hilary Floods Desert3 min read
...
AccuWeather senior meteorologist David Houk told Newsweek that high heat can put additional stress on the body.
"Certainly any exertion in that type of heat, your body has a harder time cooling down," Houk said, adding that he believed the temperatures were in the upper 90s at the time of the incident.
Robinson became unresponsive after he collapsed. Medical professionals responded but despite their efforts, Robinson's family said he died from a cardiac arrest after he was taken to the hospital.
His parents believed that the heat wave caused his sudden death, according to a report by KGET.
"We know that Yahshua was loved by many, and we appreciate everyone who is helping us to grieve his loss," Robinson's parents said in a statement. "We are still in shock and disbelief over Yahshua's death. He was a bright, talented, and loving child who had a bright future ahead of him. We are struggling to understand why this happened."
A GoFundMe page has been set up to alleviate the financial strain of Robinson's death. Comments on the fundraising page remembered Robinson as a "precious boy" who had a bright smile. Other comments criticized the school for allowing children to play outdoors during high heat and called the decision "irresponsible".
"In this difficult moment, we are deeply saddened to confirm the passing of one of our
students due to a medical emergency on one of our LEUSD campuses. Our hearts are with the family, friends, and our school community," Lake Elsinore Unified School District (LEUSD) told Newsweek in a statement. "This is a time of great sorrow for the entire community. To assist one another through this devastating loss, our Mental Health Team is providing grief counseling and resources to students and staff."
As of Thursday at 1 p.m. Eastern time, more than $34,000 had been raised of the $40,000 goal on GoFundMe.
Temperatures are expected to start falling in southern California on Thursday when a low-pressure wave enters the area, according to the report by Fox 11. Temperatures could drop as much as 15 degrees below normal by the weekend.
This year, sweltering heat has had fatal impacts across the nation. Earlier this month, a paralyzed woman was unable to get out of her car after it ran out of gas and died when temperatures inside the vehicle exceeded 100 degrees. Last week, a toddler died in South Carolina after her mother forgot to drop her off at daycare and left her trapped in a hot car for over eight hours. In July, a California man died after being exposed to scorching temperatures in Death Valley National Park after temperatures reached 121 degrees Fahrenheit.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines