Jacob Medina
Died at Sotomayor School from Choking, Investigation Continues
By Dan Murphy
The Yonkers community is mourning the death of 12-year-old Jacob Medina, who died on June 10 as a result of choking while a student at the Sotomayor school.
YPS Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr. said the incident occurred outside the school cafeteria at around 1139 am. Soler added that the student was with an adult when the incident took place.
EMS and school staff arrived and attempted CPR and other measures to try to clear the boy’s airway. Medina was sent to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Yonkers Police Department is investigating the incident, with Police Commissioner Sapienza saying, “The events leading up to this, we are going to investigate, and we’re going to continue with the investigation from beginning to end.”
Superintendent Soler issued the following statement: “As police investigate the nature of the medical emergency, we remain focused on caring for his classmates, teachers, and staff who are in terrible pain,” Soler said in a statement. “I ask all of you in the Yonkers Public Schools to rally together. One of our family’s needs us. Please keep them in your prayers.”
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said, “The death of a child is every parent’s worst nightmare, and our entire Yonkers community is grieving alongside this student’s family, classmates, teachers and loved ones,” Spano said in a statement.
“We are working closely with Yonkers Public Schools to ensure grief counselors and support services are available to students and staff as they process this tragedy. As a community, we will be there for one another in the days and weeks ahead.”
Council President Lakisha Collins-Bellamy said, “My heart is heavy as our community mourns the tragic loss of a 12-year-old child who did not make it home to his family yesterday. As a parent and a member of this community, I cannot begin to imagine the pain his parents are experiencing. The loss of a child is every parent’s worst nightmare, and my deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, classmates, teachers, and the entire Justice Sonia Sotomayor School community.
“Yonkers is grieving together. Yonkers Public Schools has ensured that grief counselors and support services are available for students and staff as they process this heartbreaking tragedy. In moments like these, words never feel like enough, but I want this family and school community to know that they are not alone. We will continue to keep them in our thoughts and prayers in the days and weeks ahead.”
Some in the media claim that Medina was eating a doughnut before he began to choke and that he was participating in a TikTok challenge to eat it in one bite. None of these reports has been verified, so we need to wait for the investigation to conclude.
Video from the incident shows staff and emergency personnel attempting to save Medina, through the Heimlich Maneuver, CPA, and a Life-Vac device. EMS personnel were also unsuccessful in clearing Medina’s air passage.
Every YPS school has a Life-Vac saving device.
