13-Year-Old Texas Student Who Drowned on School Trip Taken Off Life Support

13-Year-Old Texas Student Who Drowned on School Trip Taken Off Life Support
Hoang Minh Phan in a file photo. (Hoang Minh Phan/GoFundMe)
Zachary Stieber
4/30/2019
Updated:
4/30/2019

A 13-year-old Texas student who was found at the bottom of a hotel pool while on a school trip was taken off of life support, his family said.

Hoang Minh Phan, a Dallas student, was in San Antonio for a trip when he drowned, his family wrote on a GoFundMe page. His brother, Hien Rizal Phan, said on April 29 that Hoang was taken off life support.

Hoang, a student at the Dallas Environmental Science Academy, was in San Antonio for a math and science competition. He was found face down and unresponsive at the pool at a Marriott Hotel on Northwest Loop on April 26.

“Everyone was in the pool when they noticed one of their classmates was face down at the bottom of the pool,” reported News 4. Hoang was rushed to the hospital but was in critical condition before being placed on life support.

Phan took to Twitter to request answers from the Dallas Independent School District.

“Dallas Environmental Science Academy was the school my brother Hoang Minh Phan attend they let my brother died under their supervision. And want my family to suffer from their lack of supervision. 3531 N Westmoreland Rd, Dallas Texas. My family needs answers,” he wrote.

In a statement obtained by News 4, the district said: “We are saddened to learn about an incident involving a student from Dallas Environmental Science Academy, during an out-of-town math and science competition. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and school community.”

“We want to assure families that student safety is always a top priority. Dallas ISD is committed to providing support to students and staff. A counseling team has been made available and will continue to serve as needed. Once again, our thoughts and prayers are with the family,” the district added.

Phan told WFAA that the accident has left the family devastated.

“My brother was very loving. He treated everyone with a hug and open arms. He always smiled and was respectful,” Phan said. “He looked up to my other brother who is in the military. Hoang was hoping to enlist one day.”

Police are investigating what happened.

Cause of Death Revealed for 13-Year-Old

The cause of death for a 13-year-old who died several days after being attacked near her school in Houston, Texas, was a brain tumor, or complications of intracranial neoplasm.
The cause of death was issued after a medical examiner completed an autopsy on Kashala Francis, the teen, reported KTRK.

Video footage showed Kashala being violently attacked near Attucks Middle School on April 25. She died several days later in the hospital.

Mamie Jackson, the girl’s mother, believed that the tumor may have been exacerbated by the fight. “I can see these girls kicking her in the head while other children are laughing at her,” she said.

According to Miya Shay, a KTRK reporter, it was “Unclear what, if any role a fight near her middle school days before played” in the death.

Jackson told KTRK that her daughter returned home after the attack and had a bruise on her face but insisted she was fine. Two days later, her daughter was at a relative’s house and appeared to become delusional. The day after that, Kashala became weak and lay down, and by the time first responders arrived, she was unconscious.

“We found out she has a large tumor in the back of her head, and she had fluid buildup in her brain,” Jackson said.

The girl was treated at Texas Children’s Hospital.

In a statement to the Houston Chronicle, the school district stated: “The Houston Independent School District is deeply saddened to learn of the death of one of our students. We extend our sincere condolences to the student’s family, friends, teachers, and classmates. Off-campus events that preceded the student’s death are being investigated by the Houston Police Department, and HISD is cooperating. We have grief counselors available at Attucks Middle School for all who may need assistance.”