12-year-old boy collapses, dies at elementary school

COLTON, CA -- A 12-year-old boy died after collapsing on a soccer field at an elementary school in Colton on Tuesday, according to officials.

Dominick Gallegos was playing soccer at Ulysses S. Grant Elementary School when he suddenly collapsed on the field at about 2 p.m., the San Bernardino County Coroner said.

The 6th grader was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead at 3:15 p.m.

The family of the boy said Dominick didn't collapse, but slipped and fell. They claimed another student then stomped on his chest, causing his death.

Bryant Coria, a student at the school, said he witnessed someone stomping on Dominick's chest after he collapsed.

"When he collapsed, like a kid came and like stomped on him twice and he was unconscious," Bryant said.

He said that's when other students ran to tell teachers that Dominick needed help.

"They just went to tell the teacher that he was laying down and that something had happened to him," Bryant explained.

Colton Unified School District spokesperson Katie Orloff said there was no information that Dominick's death was trauma related and there was no evidence of an altercation.

"The coroner has not come out with the final, final results of their investigation yet, but what they've been telling us is that at this time there is no evidence that it is trauma-related," Orloff said.

The district also stated that no students were being disciplined at this time in connection with the incident.

The Colton Police Department said it interviewed several students and stated their witness accounts were consistent, but at this point, said there wasn't an active criminal investigation.

An autopsy was being performed to determine the boy's cause of death.