Georgia teen dies after being trapped in school’s wrestling mat

Lowndes County, GA, United States (4E) – A 17-year-old student has died after he got trapped in the middle of an upright roll of wrestling mats in his high school’s gym in Lowndes County, Georgia.

Sheriff’s officials said Monday that the body of Lowndes High School student Kendrick Johnson was found Friday morning inside the school’s old gym after his family reported him missing Thursday night.

In a statement, officials believed that Johnson climbed on top of the rolled, upright wrestling mats and fell into a center opening and became lodged inside, upside down, before he died.

Lowndes County Sheriff Chris Prine told The Valdosta Times that an autopsy and investigation found no signs of a struggle.

Prine added that Johnson was possibly reaching for a shoe that had fallen into the mat.

A shoe was found at the scene, but it is not clear if it belonged to the teen.

The sheriff revealed the student was discovered upside down in the mat, with blood rushing to his head and upper extremities that made him pass out.

It was reported that keeping a human body upside down for an extended period of time can be deadly, causing hemorrhaging, stroke and heart failure.

Investigators suspected no foul play was involved but the sheriff said questioning will continue to get additional information about the case.

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