Mom Names Infant After Son Who Died Running

The mother of a 13-year-old boy who died two weeks ago during a half-mile run at Imperial Middle School in La Habra gave birth to a girl Wednesday.

Herminia Ruiz, a homemaker who immigrated from Mexico about nine months ago, named her daughter Carla in memory of her late son, Carlos.

The Ruiz family was not available for comment.

Carlos, 13, collapsed while running during a physical education class. Teachers attempted to revive the boy, using cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques, but he was pronounced dead upon being brought to St. Jude Medical Center.

A coroner’s autopsy failed to determine the cause of death, and toxicology tests may take months to complete.

Together with former students and residents of San Clemente and other South County cities, students at Imperial Middle School raised $5,000 for their classmate’s funeral. Each homeroom at the school also bought baby items to give to the family.

Students from more than 40 classrooms purchased diapers, baby clothing, pajamas and rattles, said Betty Bidwell, principal at Imperial Middle School.

“Everyone who was touched by this helped,” said Hector Vasquez, a gym teacher at the school and one of two teachers who performed CPR on Carlos when he collapsed.

The day after Carlos died, students began collecting money to give to the Ruiz family, Bidwell said.

By Sunday, they had organized a carwash. Students washed more than 100 cars, Bidwell said, and raised $1,800. The school staff also donated money.

Bidwell said the school set up a fund with the help of Washington Mutual Bank so that school and community members could contribute.

“We knew the family didn’t have enough money for funeral costs,” she said. “And . . . we wanted to help the mother adjust to her new baby.”

Meanwhile, each classroom has raised money for a baby gift.