PALM BAY, Fla. —
A young student died Wednesday after “a tragic accident on campus,” Brevard Public Schools said in a news release.
A large “video display board” fell on the boy at Riviera Elementary School, the district said.
It happened around 11:30 a.m.
“School staff immediately called 911 and began emergency lifesaving measures. The student was transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center, where medical personnel continued resuscitation efforts. Despite those efforts, the student passed away,” the district said.
The district confirmed to WESH 2 it was a Promethean Board that fell on the boy. Promethean makes interactive displays for education, according to its website.
WESH 2 has since spoken with the boy’s family, who said that he was 5 years old. The school district had initially said that the boy was 6 years old.
The boy was identified by his family as Bellamy Dawkins-Morris.
>> MORE: Family demands answers after video display board falls on boy at Palm Bay school, killing him
According to Bellamy’s family, his mother was told he was moving the display board back and forth while other students were lining up before it tipped over and fell on him. The family said Bellamy had autism and questioned whether the display board was properly secured and whether enough supervision was provided.
“He’s on the spectrum. When he sees things in motion, he’s gonna keep pushing it to keep it in motion. That’s just something that children on the spectrum do,” Miriam Rodriguez said. “Obviously, the monitor was not secure, and that’s a huge issue. That could have been anybody’s child. (…) There’s no reason that that is not bolted to the wall or however. There is no reason there should be any movement.”
Counseling services
Support and counseling services will be available to students and staff in the days ahead, the district said.
“Out of respect for the family’s privacy, we will not be releasing additional information about the student at this time,” the district said.
Riviera Elementary is located in Palm Bay.
The incident is under investigation, Palm Bay police said.
Statement from Promethean
A spokesperson for Promethean, Inc. sent the following statement to WESH 2:
“All of us at Promethean are heartbroken by the death of a child in the tragic accident at Riviera Elementary School in Palm Bay, Florida. No words can ease the pain of such a loss. We extend our deepest condolences to the child’s family and loved ones, and to the students, teachers, and staff of Riviera Elementary who are grieving with them.
Nothing matters more to us than the safety of the students and teachers who use our products every day. We have begun a thorough investigation into this accident and will cooperate fully with school officials and any other authorities investigating this incident in every way we can.
Given the ongoing investigations, we will not comment further at this time. Our thoughts remain with the family and the Riviera Elementary community.”
Statement from Superintendent
“We are saddened by the heartbreaking news of a tragic accident that occurred yesterday at Riviera Elementary School. A five-year-old student was seriously injured when a large video display (Promethean) board, which was mounted on the wall, fell on the student. Despite immediate emergency medical care and continued efforts by medical personnel, the student tragically passed away.
Our hearts are with the student’s family and loved ones, as well as the student’s classmates, teachers and the entire Riviera Elementary community as they navigate this devastating loss.
The accident remains under active investigation by the Palm Bay Police Department, and Brevard Public Schools is continuing to cooperate fully with law enforcement as they continue their investigation.
We understand that this tragedy may raise questions and concerns among families and staff about similar equipment in our schools. Promethean boards across the District are installed by a licensed third-party vendor in accordance with manufacturer guidelines.
Effective immediately, the District is conducting inspections of Promethean boards across all of our campuses while we await the findings of the investigation.
The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement, take appropriate precautions to ensure the safety of our school communities, and provide additional information when it becomes available and appropriate to share.
We ask that our BPS community keep the student’s family, classmates, teachers and the Riviera Elementary community in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.”
>> This is a developing story and will be updated.