(L.A.) Maxwell Tillinghast, 13, Died in a Hospital

Case Number: 2016-03213

Los Angeles County is reporting the death of a 13-year-old Caucasian male that occurred in a hospital.

The coroner’s office has identified the teenager as Maxwell Tillinghast.

Manner of Death: Natural

Cause of Death A: Sequelae of Cardiac Arrest

Cause of Death B: Idiopathic Hypertrophic Subaortic Stenosis

RIP MAXWELL TILLINGHAST (May 17, 2002 – April 27, 2016)

Formal pronouncement of death was made on Wednesday at 6:20 p.m.

On April 25, 2016, the decedent was jogging during P.E. class at the athletic field of LAUSD’s Palms Middle School when his heart went into ventricular fibrillation. He collapsed. P.E. teachers went to the boy and 911 was called. By the time paramedics arrived 12 minutes after his witnessed collapse, he had suffered from lack of oxygen and he was effectively brain dead.

An automated external defibrillator (AED) was in the school’s main office but was not used.

He died in the hospital two days later.

In April 2023, the family was awarded $15 million by a jury.