12-Year-Old Boy Dies Suddenly After Suffering Cardiac Arrest During PE Class

A 12-year-old boy tragically lost his life after collapsing during his gym class in Lake Elsinore, California.

For Yahshua Robinson, August 29 started as a typical, fun-filled school day. Excited to join his friends and classmates in PE activities, Yahshua took part in the morning’s physical education routine.

But tragedy struck without warning when the young boy collapsed on the field and became unresponsive. School staff and paramedics acted quickly to administer first aid and transport him to the hospital, but despite their efforts, Yahshua tragically passed away.

“They watched this young man, and yelled at him and told him to get up, that he was messing around,” said Katie Tinnin of Lake Elsinore told ABC7. “These young kids realized he was actually in desperate need, came up and poured water on him.”

The family of Yahshua blamed the “sweltering heat” in California. The temperature at the time was in the low- to mid-90 degrees.

According to Yahshua’s aunt, Amarna Plummer, he had not dressed appropriately for his physical education class and was subsequently forced to run as a consequence. Plummer claimed that Yahshua started feeling unwell during the run and desperately reached out to his teacher for water and assistance.

“He was reaching out to the teacher, saying he needed some water. He said he couldn’t breathe. He was telling the kids this,” Plummer told NBC said.

“Why would you have a child in his clothes – he didn’t dress out – running a field?” Plummer said.

The family shared that Yahshua’s mother, who works as a physical education instructor in a different school district, had previously warned administrators about the dangers posed by the extreme heat.

According to the GoFundMe page:

For 12-year-old Yahshua Robinson, August 29, 2023, started as a typical, fun-filled school day. But while taking part in his PE activities at school, Yahshua collapsed and became unresponsive, a tragedy we believe was brought about by the sweltering heat. Despite the response and care of medical professionals, Yahshua tragically succumbed to cardiac arrest at the hospital.

The void Yahshua leaves behind is profound. Janae & Eric Robinson and their three other children are trying to come to terms with this devastating reality. The agony of losing a child is indescribable, and as we wait with heavy hearts for the autopsy results, we are reminded of the unpredictability of life.

It is during times like these that we as a community can come together to support one another. We humbly ask for your assistance to help alleviate the financial strain this sudden tragedy has placed upon Yahshua’s family.

Whether large or small, every contribution will serve as a testament to Yahshua’s cherished memory and the impact he made in his short time with us. From the depths of our hearts, we thank you for standing alongside the Robinson family, for being their beacon of hope, and for showing that love and compassion remain resilient even in the face of overwhelming sorrow.

The district issued a statement stating it was “saddened” to confirm the loss “of one of our students due to a medical emergency at one of our LEUSD campuses.”

But Plummer said that someone should be held responsible for the death of Yahshua.