Additional Tests Scheduled Into Football Player’s Death

The Orange County coroner’s office will conduct further tests on a 20-year-old football player who collapsed Monday at Orange Coast College after an initial autopsy failed to find the cause of death, officials said.

Daniel Edwards of Cerritos was to attend the school in the fall and was hoping to play on the football team, school officials said.

Deputy Coroner Pat Lorey said the office would have to perform toxicology tests and microscopic studies of tissue samples.

“It could be awhile before we know the cause of death,” Lorey said. “He was a big guy, but he was not working out that day and we did not find any visible signs of a cause of death.”

Edwards, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound linebacker, spent Monday morning taking placement exams and went to the school’s athletic department about 2 p.m. to pick up football equipment.

While sitting in front of his locker, Edwards collapsed in front of other players, a school spokesman said.

“At first, the other people in the room thought he was kidding. They were talking lightheartedly before,” said Jim Carnett, director of community relations for Orange Coast College. “When they looked closer, they could see he was having problems and called for help.”

Paramedics arrived shortly before 3 p.m. and found Edwards on the floor receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation from campus security guards and Michael Carrizo, an equipment manager who had previously worked as a lifeguard.

Edwards was taken to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach and was pronounced dead shortly after 3:30 p.m.