'Medical event' blamed in death of Bartow child

BARTOW (FOX 13) - Investigators in Bartow say there is no evidence of foul play in the death of a child who became unresponsive on a school bus last week.

According to police, officers were called to the 3500 block of State Road 60 at 7:15 a.m. on February 28 after a special needs student had a seizure and was unresponsive on a Polk County School Board.  

The 14-year-old girl was rushed to Bartow Regional Medical Center and eventually transferred to All Children's Hospital but died six days later.

Medical staff said the girl died due to a lack of oxygen “related to a medical event,” adding that she suffered from ongoing medical ailments.

A spokesperson for the Polk County school district said the student attended Victory Ridge Academy in Lake Wales, which is a school that focuses on helping students with special needs.

After an investigation, police say that no evidence of foul play or criminal acts was found.

The child's family told FOX 13 they are in the process of hiring an attorney and aren't making any comments until they've done so.  The school district did not immediately provide a statement about what happened or how bus staff is trained to handle situations like this.