Breanne McKean, Homecoming Queen candidate mystery death during pre game festivities at Ohio field. Identified as daughter of Mapleton H.S’s athletic director.
An Ohio high school Homecoming Queen candidate died suddenly last week during the festivities prior to a football game, school officials said.
Breanne McKean, 17, a senior at Mapleton High School in Ashland, and daughter of the school’s athletic director died Friday due to a ‘medical emergency,’ Mapleton Local Schools announced Saturday.
The school’s athletic director, Tim McKean, told News 5 Cleveland that his daughter died at Ashland Hospital after collapsing on the field, where the Mounties were set to play South Central.
Mystery death as autopsy awaited
It remained unclear if the teen had a prior underlying health condition and what led to her sudden death. McKean’s cause of death pending an autopsy had not been determined.
The homecoming dance scheduled for Sept. 30 was canceled and all Mapleton athletic events have been canceled through Wednesday.
Breanne touched many lives and ‘was everything to us,’ her grieving dad told News5, adding that she lettered in several sports, including volleyball, basketball and softball.
Mapleton head coach Matt Stafford and South Central head coach Derek Fisher decided to suspend the game after they heard at halftime that Breanne had died, the Ashland Source reported.
The teen’s body was transported to Lucas County to undergo an autopsy, Ashland County Coroner’s Office investigator Jenny Taylor told News5.
Mapleton community grief
‘Mapleton staff and grief counselors were available immediately after this announcement to provide comfort and support,’ the Mapleton school district said on its Facebook page.
‘A special thank you goes out to the South Central community, administration, coaches, players and fans for their compassion and support last night. We would also like to thank our Mapleton community and surrounding school districts and communities for their continued support, encouragement and prayers during this difficult time,’ it said.
Officials said grief counselors would be made available for students and staff on Monday.
Breanne was a member of the girls’ volleyball team, which also posted a message that a youth volleyball camp planned for Sunday would be canceled, along with the team’s games this week.
‘Please pray for the McKean family, our volleyball family and the Mapleton community,’ the team wrote on Facebook.
