Boy Hit by Baseball Died of Heart Trouble, Autopsy Says

A La Crescenta boy who died several hours after he was hit in the head with a baseball had a fatal heart condition, officials said Friday, confirming his parents’ suspicions that the accidental hit did not contribute to his death.

Autopsy results showed that Timothy Richard Herman, 9, had an enlarged heart and that several tumors were present in the heart muscle, said Scott Carrier of the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.

“The death was related to heart conditions and not directly related to being struck by a baseball,” Carrier said.

Timmy died just before midnight Wednesday, several hours after he was hit in the head, just below his helmet, with a pitched ball.

The fourth-grader continued to play the game--pitching several innings and garnering three hits for his team, the Jasco Jammers.

After returning home, Timmy complained of pain in his leg. He was found by his mother several minutes later lying unconscious in his bedroom.

While the autopsy showed a “bruising of the scalp present on the left side of the head,” no skull fractures or brain injuries were noted, Carrier said.

Timmy’s parents, Rob and Karen Herman, sought to disassociate his death with baseball Friday. They had previously speculated that their son’s death was not related to the sport.

“It’s the conviction of the family that baseball contributed to his life rather than his death,” said Rev. Rick Wright, speaking for the family.

Wright, a pastor at the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Glendale, said the family wants Timmy to be remembered for his talents in many sports, including baseball, basketball and soccer.

The Hermans and their other children, Josh, 14, and Lindsey, 11, are active in La Crescenta sports activities. Rob Herman coached Timmy’s baseball team in the Mustang League for 9- and 10-year olds. The league is overseen by the Crescenta Sports Assn.

Funeral services are tentatively planned Monday at the First Baptist Church in La Crescenta.