A promising teenage lacrosse player died after col

A promising teenage lacrosse player died after collapsing during a prestigious tournament, an inquest heard today.

(Weds)

Sean Johnson, 15, from Poynton, Cheshire, was playing in the World Youth games in Battersea Park when she fell to the ground, Westminster Coroner’s Court heard.

Anxious teammates tried to administer first aid and Sean was rushed to Chelsea and Westminster hospital, but he could not be resuscitated.

Tests revealed the sports-mad teenager from Poynton High School had suffered a fatal reaction to a heart muscle infection known as myocarditis.

The viral complaint causes nothing more than minor fatigue or irregular heart beat in some sufferers.

Pathologist Dr Vesna Djurovic said fatal reactions occurred in only tiny number of cases.

‘We have seen before healthy young people, usually athletes, who collapse very suddenly and in a post mortem there is evidence of inflammation of the heart muscles,’ she said.

Rochdale-born Sean, a keen cricketer and footballer, who lived with his parents at 15 Fielding Avenue, Poynton, started the tournament on July 6 this year.

Fellow players told police there was no sign that Sean was suffering from any illness prior to the game.

The next afternoon, July 7, Sean was taking part in the final match of the day when tragedy struck.

Tournament organiser John Lowney said he saw Sean fall as his team mounted an attack on goal.

‘They were coming up to support the ball when as I turned Sean just collapsed,’ he said.

Concerned spectators, including an off-duty police officer, raced to help the teenager, but no pulse was detected.

Microscopic examination showed Sean was suffering from the virus as well as haemorrhages pneumonitis – a lung infection.

Dr Djurovic explained that the lung complaint entered the heart muscles through the blood stream, but sufferers are often unaware they have the illness.

‘He may have had a bit of a cough, or a bit of tiredness,’ said the pathologist.

She told Sean’s father Paul, a computer network manager: ‘This is an extremely unpredictable condition to detect and treat.

‘

Describing the youngster’s death as a ‘complete tragedy’ Coroner Dr Paul Knapman said: ‘We have maybe ten or 12 cases a year of sudden death when people die of this cause of myocarditis.

‘People find it very difficult to believe
that a person can have no symptoms and just drop dead from myocarditis.

‘It is a terrible tragedy for all concerned and I’m sure the sympathy of all, especially from me, goes out to the family.

‘

Mr Johnson was too upset to comment outside court.

Verdict: Natural Causes.

ends