DeAntre Turman’s death resulted in an injury suffered in Creekside’s football scrimmage at Banneker High School on Friday. The 16-year-old Turman died of a broken neck later Friday night at Grady Memorial Hospital. The Medical Examiner’s Office said Turman’s death resulted from his neck vertebrae being broken “due to blunt force trauma.” CBS Atlanta 46 reported that Turman was pronounced dead at Grady Memorial Hospital and that the junior collapsed and never got back up during the play.
Fulton County schools spokeswoman Samantha Evans addressed the tragedy, ”Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of this student. This is truly a horrific way to begin a school year.”
Turman was a starter in the Seminole’s secondary and according to 247sports.com, the 5-foot-11, 165 junior had an offer to play at the University of Kentucky. Turman played defensive back, halfback and receiver as a sophomore.
GHSA executive director Ralph Swearngin was reached by the AJC Saturday morning and said, “Any kind of death of an adolescent, it’s a tragedy,” Swearngin said. “You think about the loss to the family and a young life being cut off whether it’s an athletic event or car accident or natural causes. As a father and grandfather, it strikes you personally.”
It is likely that the GHSA will open an investigation immediately into the death of Turman and Swearngin added, “We’ll try to analyze if things can be avoided. Unfortunately, life has risks, and we’re constantly trying to limit those.’
According to the AJC, it has been since 2009 since a high school football player in Georgia died as the result of an injury or collision. Cook running back Roy White died after being tackled and hit in the chest during spring practice.
Johnny T. White was Creekside’s head coach from 2009 to 2011, and coached Turman as a freshman. The AJC reported that White descrived Turman as “One of the best kids I’ve ever dealt with in my 18 years of coaching, period, hands down. He was quiet, but always smiling. He had a real good spirit. It was always yes sir, no sir. He enjoyed his team, and he loved his teammates. Just a great kid.”
The Seminoles are scheduled to open what is sure to be a very emotional season at home against Langston Hughes Aug. 30. Creekside was 7-4 in 2012 and fell to Thomas County Central 27-24 in overtime of the first round matchup.
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