The district, meanwhile, said it finished its own investigation into the junior’s death.
SAN ANTONIO — Bexar County officials have shared more information about the February death of a high school football player from Northside ISD as the district finishes its investigation.
Jaren Troy Lawson, a 16-year-old student-athlete who attended Stevens High School, passed out at practice on Feb. 11 before being assessed by trainers and rushed to the hospital, according to NISD officials. The district said his coach was with Jaren when he died hours later, shortly after midnight.
The county medical examiner on Thursday ruled the junior’s cause of death as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. According to the American Heart Association, the ailment is caused by a heart abnormality that causes the organs walls “to become thicker than normal.” That, in turn, can reduce the amount of blood circulating in and out.
The ME ruled Jaren’s manner of death as “natural.”
At a memorial event in February, those who knew Jaren described him as a bright presence on and off the field.
“It’s heartbreaking and we’re still in shock about it,” said Melissa Verastegui, who said she considered him like a son, adding her son was Jaren’s best friend.
“He had so much light,” Verastegui said. “A very positive, loving person—nothing got him down. He had a very hard life and you wouldn’t know it if you met him.”
Investigation complete
An NISD spokesperson, meanwhile, said the district “found no evidence of negligence” in its now-concluded investigation. Officials said earlier there was no evidence he was denied access to water during practice, nor that Jaren said he was unable to practice that day.
Coaching staff also reminded him he could opt out of practice since he was ill the previous day, the district said it found in its investigation.
“The Stevens High School community continues to mourn the tragic loss of Jaren Lawson. His family, friends, and classmates are close in our thoughts,” the district said in a statement. “While we hope the medical examiner’s findings provide his loved ones with a sense of closure, we recognize many still grieve his death and we remain committed to supporting our Falcon family.”
NISD officials previously said Jaren had a current physical on file allowing him to play in sports. He was one of four NISD high school students to have died in a two-week span earlier this year.