OKEECHOBEE — State officials are investigating the death of a teen at a juvenile detention center but say that initial reports indicate the staff followed procedure after he collapsed.

Sixteen-year-old Kevin Christie was playing basketball with a group of boys at the Eckerd Youth Development Center in Okeechobee on Friday night when he went to help another teen who had fallen during the game, according to an initial report from the state Department of Juvenile Justice.

Christie then fell backward to the ground and tried to stand up again but fell down again, the report states. Other boys tried to help Christie, who was unresponsive, officials said.

Counselors at Eckerd told state investigators that when they rushed to him, Christie was unconscious and had a weak pulse. He was also breathing sporadically, they said.
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