22-05-2025
Awful mystery as 'healthy' boy aged just seven collapses and dies after attending friend's birthday party
A young Maryland boy died after collapsing at a friend's birthday party as they played an iconic childhood game.
Brian, 7, went to the party on Saturday 'full of joy and excitement,' his family said on a GoFundMe page.
However, the event took a horrific turn when the boy suddenly collapsed as the kids played hide-and-seek.
He was rushed to the hospital, and despite doctors' best efforts, he was later pronounced deceased.
'His passing was sudden, unexpected, and left us with more questions than answers,' the family said.
'What makes this even more heartbreaking is that, after a thorough autopsy, doctors found no underlying health conditions or illness.'
The boy's heartbroken mother, Mabell Nana, told Fox 5 they are devastated and desperately searching for answers.
'He was healthy, active, and full of joy. I don't know what happened, but for me and my family, it is very difficult to accept it,' Nana said.
'He was very healthy. Very healthy. He was always playing around, jumping around. Bryan will never just sit,' said Brian's brother, Simen Njotang.
Family friend Pierre Nounaye, who was with the boy, told the local news station Brian was playful and full of life.
'Seeing him go like that, in my eyes, was really painful,' Nounaye said. 'I thought maybe he fell or something hurt him, but that wasn't the case. That wasn't the case.'
Dr. Mena Mirhom of Columbia University Medical Center told Fox 5 ut not uncommon for autopsies to come back negative in cases like this.
'Autopsies look at the structural parts of the body—the heart, lungs, liver—but not the electrical patterns,' Mirhom said.
'Conditions like heart arrhythmias or seizure disorders wouldn't show up. And both can lead to sudden death without leaving physical evidence.
'The big thing, I think, that I try to sort of bring home to parents in this scenario is, something this rare and that is not visible on an autopsy, is something that you don't want to blame yourself, that you could have prevented this.'
The family has launched a fundraiser to help cover the funeral and memorial expenses for Brian.
'Brian was full of life, laughter, and love. He had a kind heart and a bright spirit that touched everyone he met,' the said.
'Now, our family is trying to process this pain while preparing to give him the farewell he deserves.'
