WHITMORE LAKE -- The grieving mother of a 10-year-old girl who collapsed and died after walking a lap on a school track described her child Wednesday as a "healthy, healthy" fourth-grader.
She is mystified as to the circumstances of the death of her daughter, Marissa Towler, on Tuesday.
"No child goes to school and dies right there at a track field," Melinda Kelley said.
An autopsy was performed Wednesday on Marissa's body by the Washtenaw County Medical Examiners Office, but results weren't immediately available.
Kelley, who has five other children ranging in age from 11 to a baby who will turn 1 on May 20, said she will not send her children back to Whitmore Lake Elementary School, where Marissa attended classes.
Marissa had walked one lap around the Whitmore Lake High School track Tuesday afternoon when she stopped and told a physical education teacher she wasn't feeling well, said Whitmore Lake Superintendent Scott Menzel.
Within a few minutes, she laid down on her side. It was then, at 1:19 p.m., that one of the teachers supervising the fitness event called Kelley. Another teacher called 911, Menzel said.
Kelley lives about a mile from the high school. She said she was there in one minute.
"When I got there I could see her lying on the ground looking pale," Kelley said. "Vomit was being cleaned out of her mouth. Here lips were starting to turn blue. She wasn't breathing. When I got there all she had was a faint heartbeat. And that was it. That was it."
Northville Fire Department personnel arrived at 1:24 p.m., Menzel said. Marissa still had a pulse and was breathing, he said. But her condition continued to deteriorate.
The firefighters gave her oxygen and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation. An ambulance arrived at 1:35 p.m. Kelley rode with her daughter to the hospital but the girl never recovered.
Kelley said Marissa was excited about the Tuesday fitness event, which is the culmination of the district's physical fitness program.
As part of the program, students in the third and fourth grade work up to the mile walk or run and finish out the program by going a mile on the high school track.
Marissa had prepared for the event. She brought water bottles, frozen at home, to school for the event.
But after Marissa arrived at school, she began to not feel well, Kelley said, based on a report she got from her son, Aaron, 11.
Aaron said his sister told a teacher she didn't feel well and wanted to go home.
But a school investigation has not been able to confirm that Marissa told anyone before the event, Menzel said.
"We had no reports of Marissa telling any of the school officials that she was feeling sick prior to this event."
When Marissa sat down after the first lap, a teacher sat with her, Menzel said.
"(Marissa) sat there for a minute or two not feeling well before she laid down on her side and curled up in a comfortable position," Menzel said.
"At that point in time, the gym teacher knew that it looked pretty serious and he called the other gym teacher over and that's when she called 911.
"When the fire department arrived Marissa Towler was still breathing and she still had a pulse," he said.
Menzel said school officials acted appropriately and did everything they could.
"This is a tragic accident that has impacted not only their family, but our entire school community," he said. "We grieve along with the family at the loss of Marissa Towler."
Later, it was confirmed that Marissa died of a genetic heart condition.
She is mystified as to the circumstances of the death of her daughter, Marissa Towler, on Tuesday.
"No child goes to school and dies right there at a track field," Melinda Kelley said.
An autopsy was performed Wednesday on Marissa's body by the Washtenaw County Medical Examiners Office, but results weren't immediately available.
Kelley, who has five other children ranging in age from 11 to a baby who will turn 1 on May 20, said she will not send her children back to Whitmore Lake Elementary School, where Marissa attended classes.
Marissa had walked one lap around the Whitmore Lake High School track Tuesday afternoon when she stopped and told a physical education teacher she wasn't feeling well, said Whitmore Lake Superintendent Scott Menzel.
Within a few minutes, she laid down on her side. It was then, at 1:19 p.m., that one of the teachers supervising the fitness event called Kelley. Another teacher called 911, Menzel said.
Kelley lives about a mile from the high school. She said she was there in one minute.
"When I got there I could see her lying on the ground looking pale," Kelley said. "Vomit was being cleaned out of her mouth. Here lips were starting to turn blue. She wasn't breathing. When I got there all she had was a faint heartbeat. And that was it. That was it."
Northville Fire Department personnel arrived at 1:24 p.m., Menzel said. Marissa still had a pulse and was breathing, he said. But her condition continued to deteriorate.
The firefighters gave her oxygen and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation. An ambulance arrived at 1:35 p.m. Kelley rode with her daughter to the hospital but the girl never recovered.
Kelley said Marissa was excited about the Tuesday fitness event, which is the culmination of the district's physical fitness program.
As part of the program, students in the third and fourth grade work up to the mile walk or run and finish out the program by going a mile on the high school track.
Marissa had prepared for the event. She brought water bottles, frozen at home, to school for the event.
But after Marissa arrived at school, she began to not feel well, Kelley said, based on a report she got from her son, Aaron, 11.
Aaron said his sister told a teacher she didn't feel well and wanted to go home.
But a school investigation has not been able to confirm that Marissa told anyone before the event, Menzel said.
"We had no reports of Marissa telling any of the school officials that she was feeling sick prior to this event."
When Marissa sat down after the first lap, a teacher sat with her, Menzel said.
"(Marissa) sat there for a minute or two not feeling well before she laid down on her side and curled up in a comfortable position," Menzel said.
"At that point in time, the gym teacher knew that it looked pretty serious and he called the other gym teacher over and that's when she called 911.
"When the fire department arrived Marissa Towler was still breathing and she still had a pulse," he said.
Menzel said school officials acted appropriately and did everything they could.
"This is a tragic accident that has impacted not only their family, but our entire school community," he said. "We grieve along with the family at the loss of Marissa Towler."
Later, it was confirmed that Marissa died of a genetic heart condition.
WHITMORE LAKE -- The grieving mother of a 10-year-old girl who collapsed and died after walking a lap on a school track described her child Wednesday as a "healthy, healthy" fourth-grader.
She is mystified as to the circumstances of the death of her daughter, Marissa Towler, on Tuesday.
"No child goes to school and dies right there at a track field," Melinda Kelley said.
An autopsy was performed Wednesday on Marissa's body by the Washtenaw County Medical Examiners Office, but results weren't immediately available.
Kelley, who has five other children ranging in age from 11 to a baby who will turn 1 on May 20, said she will not send her children back to Whitmore Lake Elementary School, where Marissa attended classes.
Marissa had walked one lap around the Whitmore Lake High School track Tuesday afternoon when she stopped and told a physical education teacher she wasn't feeling well, said Whitmore Lake Superintendent Scott Menzel.
Within a few minutes, she laid down on her side. It was then, at 1:19 p.m., that one of the teachers supervising the fitness event called Kelley. Another teacher called 911, Menzel said.
Kelley lives about a mile from the high school. She said she was there in one minute.
"When I got there I could see her lying on the ground looking pale," Kelley said. "Vomit was being cleaned out of her mouth. Here lips were starting to turn blue. She wasn't breathing. When I got there all she had was a faint heartbeat. And that was it. That was it."
Northville Fire Department personnel arrived at 1:24 p.m., Menzel said. Marissa still had a pulse and was breathing, he said. But her condition continued to deteriorate.
The firefighters gave her oxygen and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation. An ambulance arrived at 1:35 p.m. Kelley rode with her daughter to the hospital but the girl never recovered.
Kelley said Marissa was excited about the Tuesday fitness event, which is the culmination of the district's physical fitness program.
As part of the program, students in the third and fourth grade work up to the mile walk or run and finish out the program by going a mile on the high school track.
Marissa had prepared for the event. She brought water bottles, frozen at home, to school for the event.
But after Marissa arrived at school, she began to not feel well, Kelley said, based on a report she got from her son, Aaron, 11.
Aaron said his sister told a teacher she didn't feel well and wanted to go home.
But a school investigation has not been able to confirm that Marissa told anyone before the event, Menzel said.
"We had no reports of Marissa telling any of the school officials that she was feeling sick prior to this event."
When Marissa sat down after the first lap, a teacher sat with her, Menzel said.
"(Marissa) sat there for a minute or two not feeling well before she laid down on her side and curled up in a comfortable position," Menzel said.
"At that point in time, the gym teacher knew that it looked pretty serious and he called the other gym teacher over and that's when she called 911.
"When the fire department arrived Marissa Towler was still breathing and she still had a pulse," he said.
Menzel said school officials acted appropriately and did everything they could.
"This is a tragic accident that has impacted not only their family, but our entire school community," he said. "We grieve along with the family at the loss of Marissa Towler."
Later, it was confirmed that Marissa died of a genetic heart condition.
She is mystified as to the circumstances of the death of her daughter, Marissa Towler, on Tuesday.
"No child goes to school and dies right there at a track field," Melinda Kelley said.
An autopsy was performed Wednesday on Marissa's body by the Washtenaw County Medical Examiners Office, but results weren't immediately available.
Kelley, who has five other children ranging in age from 11 to a baby who will turn 1 on May 20, said she will not send her children back to Whitmore Lake Elementary School, where Marissa attended classes.
Marissa had walked one lap around the Whitmore Lake High School track Tuesday afternoon when she stopped and told a physical education teacher she wasn't feeling well, said Whitmore Lake Superintendent Scott Menzel.
Within a few minutes, she laid down on her side. It was then, at 1:19 p.m., that one of the teachers supervising the fitness event called Kelley. Another teacher called 911, Menzel said.
Kelley lives about a mile from the high school. She said she was there in one minute.
"When I got there I could see her lying on the ground looking pale," Kelley said. "Vomit was being cleaned out of her mouth. Here lips were starting to turn blue. She wasn't breathing. When I got there all she had was a faint heartbeat. And that was it. That was it."
Northville Fire Department personnel arrived at 1:24 p.m., Menzel said. Marissa still had a pulse and was breathing, he said. But her condition continued to deteriorate.
The firefighters gave her oxygen and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation. An ambulance arrived at 1:35 p.m. Kelley rode with her daughter to the hospital but the girl never recovered.
Kelley said Marissa was excited about the Tuesday fitness event, which is the culmination of the district's physical fitness program.
As part of the program, students in the third and fourth grade work up to the mile walk or run and finish out the program by going a mile on the high school track.
Marissa had prepared for the event. She brought water bottles, frozen at home, to school for the event.
But after Marissa arrived at school, she began to not feel well, Kelley said, based on a report she got from her son, Aaron, 11.
Aaron said his sister told a teacher she didn't feel well and wanted to go home.
But a school investigation has not been able to confirm that Marissa told anyone before the event, Menzel said.
"We had no reports of Marissa telling any of the school officials that she was feeling sick prior to this event."
When Marissa sat down after the first lap, a teacher sat with her, Menzel said.
"(Marissa) sat there for a minute or two not feeling well before she laid down on her side and curled up in a comfortable position," Menzel said.
"At that point in time, the gym teacher knew that it looked pretty serious and he called the other gym teacher over and that's when she called 911.
"When the fire department arrived Marissa Towler was still breathing and she still had a pulse," he said.
Menzel said school officials acted appropriately and did everything they could.
"This is a tragic accident that has impacted not only their family, but our entire school community," he said. "We grieve along with the family at the loss of Marissa Towler."
Later, it was confirmed that Marissa died of a genetic heart condition.
Inscription
loving daughter and sister
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
