Spring Hill High student who died collapsed in class, coroner says
Authorities are investigating the cause of death of a 16-year-old Spring Hill High School student who collapsed in a classroom Wednesday, Richland County Coroner Gary Watts said Thursday.
Davis Allen Cripe, of Chapin, died at Palmetto Health Parkridge hospital at 3:40 p.m. Wednesday after he was taken there from the school by ambulance, Watts said in a statement.
An autopsy conducted Thursday did not pinpoint the cause of death, which means more tests will be conducted, the coroner said. The official cause of death is pending.
Neither Watts or Lexington-Richland District 5 officials have released details about the circumstances of the teenager’s collapse. A district spokeswoman said Thursday the district will not discuss anything about the young man.
The district did issue a statement. “It is with great sadness that we grieve the loss of a Spring Hill High School student. This is a devastating loss to our entire district community. At this time, we are respecting the privacy of our student’s family as they grieve this tremendous loss.” The statement did not name the student or address what happened at the school.
Spring Hill High is in the Richland County portion of the two-county district.
The newspaper’s efforts to reach the Cripe family were unsuccessful Thursday.
But parents Sean and Heidi Cripe are licensed Realtors with Coldwell Banker’s Irmo office, according to their online business information.
“We live on Lake Murray ... We’ve got three kids and love the schools and recreation offered in Lexington County and on Lake Murray,” they wrote. “Our family is very involved in the school system and within the community and we look forward to forming many more long-lasting friendships through this business.”
Their online information states that the family has moved many times.
The school district also mentioned grief counselors were available to staff and students at Spring Hill High, which is near White Rock and Chapin.
Staff writer Jane Moon Dail contributed.
This story was originally published April 27, 2017 at 9:46 AM with the headline "Spring Hill High student who died collapsed in class, coroner says."