NEW BROCKTON, Ala (AP) — An autopsy found that an Alabama high school football player, who collapsed during summer practice, died from congestive heart failure, the county coroner announced Thursday,
Semaj Wilkins, a 14-year-old freshman at New Brockton High School, died in August after collapsing at the start of afternoon football practice.
The autopsy, performed by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, “determined that the cause of death was congestive heart failure due to cardiomegaly with biventricular hypertrophy, resulting from a coronary anomaly,” Coffee County Coroner Arnold Woodham wrote in a news release. The death was classified as natural, he said.
The Mayo Clinic’s website defines cardiomegaly as an enlarged heart and ventricular hypertrophy as a thickening of the heart walls. The condition can cause the heart to fail to pump blood efficiently.
“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Wilkins family during this difficult time. We also extend our support to the faculty, students, and staff of New Brockton High School,” Woodham wrote.
New Brockton is a town of about 1,400 people located about 80 miles (130 kilometers) south of Montgomery.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Note: Thank you for visiting our website! We strive to keep you informed with the latest updates based on expected timelines, although please note that we are not affiliated with any official bodies. Our team is committed to ensuring accuracy and transparency in our reporting, verifying all information before publication. We aim to bring you reliable news, and if you have any questions or concerns about our content, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!