Boy, 12, dies after passing out in middle school classroom

NORTHLAKE, Ill. – Police in the suburban Illinois city of Northlake are conducting a death investigation after a boy passed out in a middle school classroom and later died at the hospital, according to WGN.

Police say they were called to Northlake Middle School around Friday afternoon for reports of a child passed out in class.

Joshua Acosta, 12, was taken to the hospital by ambulance where he was pronounced dead.

Joshua’s mother, Wendy Acosta, says the school called her around 12:30 p.m. and said her son had suddenly collapsed in a classroom. She rushed over as paramedics were still working on him. She says she was told he was still breathing but unresponsive when he was rushed to the hospital.

When Acosta arrived at the hospital, she was told Joshua was gone.

“I just want an answer. I want somebody to let me know what happened,” Acosta said. “Nobody’s telling me what happened to my son.“

School District 87 says it’s not commenting out of respect for the family.

Acosta said she remembers almost every detail of the last time she saw him on his way to school Friday morning. He was happy and apparently healthy.

Joshua, was one of five siblings and would have been 13 and headed for 7th grade this fall.

An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.