9-year-old Delhi girl dies after collapsing in classroom: Hyderabad Neurologist shares important steps schools, teachers and parents should take during medical emergencies

A nine-year-old girl died after collapsing inside her classroom at Lovely Heritage School in Mayur Vihar Phase 2, Delhi, on Wednesday morning. The Class 3 student had reportedly returned to her classroom after a games period when she suddenly fell ill and collapsed. CCTV footage showed the girl entering the classroom, placing both hands around her waist before falling to the floor. A teacher immediately rushed to her aid and attempted to revive her before seeking further medical assistance. School staff then took the child to a nearby hospital, where she was reportedly not admitted. She was subsequently rushed to another hospital in Nirman Vihar, where doctors declared her dead.

An Apollo Hospital Neurologist shared a post on X about the same. He said in this post “The incident raises an important question: Would immediate CPR and timely defibrillation have improved her chances of survival?”

In a series of posts he shared basic things to know, understand and what to do in this kind of situation.


In his first post, he said “What could cause sudden death in an apparently healthy child? “

One possible explanation is sudden cardiac arrest linked to an undiagnosed heart condition. Some important underlying conditions include:

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• Long QT syndrome
• Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT)
• Congenital abnormalities of the coronary arteries
• Myocarditis

The second post follows by “What should a teacher do when a child suddenly collapses?”

FIRST: Check responsiveness and breathing (no more than 10 seconds).

If the child is unresponsive and not breathing normally, or is only gasping:

• Call emergency services (Ambulance services).
• Ask someone to bring an AED.
• Start CPR immediately.

Next he gave lessons about “How to perform CPR in a school-age child?’

• Chest compressions at 100–120/minute.
• Compression depth approximately 5 cm (one-third of chest depth).
• If trained: 30 compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths for a single rescuer.
• Minimise interruptions.

“What should schools do? “

• Train ALL teachers and support staff in basic life support and CPR.
• Make AEDs accessible on school premises.
• Have a clearly defined emergency response protocol.
• Ensure staff know how to activate emergency medical services.
• Conduct regular mock drills.

Further in his last slide he posted about what things parents should take care of

A few important messages for parents:

• Fainting during exercise should never be ignored.
• Unexplained chest pain, palpitations or breathlessness need evaluation.
• A family history of sudden cardiac death at a young age is important.
• Do not discourage children from playing sports. Physical activity is essential for health.
• But every school must be prepared for a medical emergency.
• CPR is a life-saving skill everyone should learn.