Autopsy Is Planned in Prep Player’s Death

The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office planned an autopsy to determine the cause of the death of Jeff Chai, the 16-year-old Hawthorne High School senior who collapsed with 32 seconds left in Friday night’s game against Culver City.

Hawthorne Fire Department paramedic Paul Zavala said officials do not suspect illegal drug use. Chai was an honor student who was playing his first year of football. “He apparently was a real clean-cut kid,” Zavala said, adding that emergency room staff at Robert Kennedy Hospital in Hawthorne spent about 90 minutes unsuccessfully trying to revive Chai.

He was pronounced dead at the hospital at 10:45 p.m.

It is not clear whether Chai was injured in the game, which was called after the injury, with Hawthorne winning, 41-12. The 6-foot, 210-pound offensive guard fell to his knees while returning to the huddle after a play, according to Hawthorne Coach Larry Reed. After reviewing the game film, Reed said that Chai had only incidental contact on the play.