Boone County middle school student died after being hit in head at football practice

UPDATE:

MADISON, W.Va. (WOWK) — The father of 13-year-old Cohen Craddock, who died after being injured during football practice, said that his son took a hard hit to the head.

On Friday evening, Cohen was practicing as a defensive lineman for Madison Middle School in Boone County when he went for a tackle and took a bad hit to his head, according to his father.

He said Cohen got back up, took a couple of steps, and went unconscious; he wouldn’t gain consciousness again, his father told WBOY’s sister station WOWK 13 News. In the ambulance, it was found he had low oxygen levels and his brain was swelling.

“He was Mr. Personality,” Ryan Craddock said. “He liked to joke, he liked to make you smile. Even if he was feeling bad, he wanted to make you feel good. He was that type of person. Just a big heart; big teddy bear.”

Cohen would pass away at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. This would have been his second year playing football for Madison Middle School.

ORIGINAL:

MADISON, W.Va. (WOWK) — The Boone County community is mourning the loss of a student after an accident on the football field.

According to Boone County Schools Superintendent Matt Riggs, 13-year-old Cohen Craddock, an eighth grader at Madison Middle School, died on Saturday.

A Facebook post from Roane County High School said that Cohen was injured during football practice on Friday, was unconscious and did not wake up. He died Saturday afternoon, according to the post.

Riggs sent a statement to WBOY’s sister station WOWK 13 News, saying in part:

As a Redhawk, Cohen was beloved by his classmates, his teachers, his administrators, and the entire Maddison Middle School staff… Our thoughts and prayers go out to Cohen’s family, friends, teammates, classmates, and the entire MMS staff. As our thoughts and prayers go out to Cohen’s family, we would ask that same from the community in that his family may find healing, comfort, protection, and strength.

Riggs added that additional supports and services will be available for students, staff and athletes beginning Monday.

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