Kindergartener dies after swallowing rock

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In a preliminary autopsy, a rock was found lodged in the larynx of Nikolas Wypa, a 6-year-old who collapsed on his school’s playground a week ago. The incident occurred at Churchill Elementary School in Norton Shores, Michigan.

According to Wood TV News 8, Norton Shores Police Chief Daniel Shaw stated that the rock was too far down in the boy’s throat, and due to his young age there was not enough pressure in his lungs for the rock to be dislodged during CPR. After the boy collapsed, some parents who are doctor and nurses provided CPR for the boy without success. He later died at the hospital.

Nikolas had stayed after his morning kindergarten that day because his older brother had a field day. His mother, Lisa Wypa, had volunteered to help supervise the field day activities.

Nikolas was seen playing with sidewalk chalk before he suddenly collapsed. His mother walked away for a few minutes to take a picture. When she came back, he was on the ground, with no pulse. Security cameras pointed at the school playground were of no help, as they rotated away from the boy during the moment before he lost consciousness.

Principal Mark Platt has been helping both children and parents deal with the loss. “Those kids, they were scared,” Platt told MLive. “Some of them didn’t want to go on the playground (Tuesday). When recess came, they didn’t want to go out there.”

Nikolas’s funeral was held Saturday. Condolences may be left at Systema Funeral Home’s memorial page.