Students who witnessed the emergency received support after the eighth grader died.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Springfield Public Schools is mourning 14-year-old Emari Marshall-Woodard after the eighth grader died following a pool emergency during a field trip Wednesday at High Meadow in Granby, Connecticut.
The death turned a school outing into a regional tragedy involving students, first responders, school leaders and state officials. Granby police said the case appears to be a drowning and that no foul play was suspected. The district said grief support would remain available for students and staff.
The field trip brought Springfield students to High Meadow, a North Granby Road venue used for school visits, group events and camp programs. Police said first responders were called shortly before 2:30 p.m. after a report of a drowning in the pool area. A Simsbury police officer already working at the site went to the pool and started aid. Granby Ambulance then took Marshall-Woodard to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford, where he died.
Superintendent Sonia Dinnall called the loss heartbreaking and said the district’s community was grieving. She said the school system would not release more information about the student out of respect for the family’s privacy. The district said counselors and support staff were being made available to classmates, friends, teachers and others affected by the death.
Granby police said other young people at the scene were emotionally overwhelmed after witnessing the emergency. Ambulances from surrounding towns were called to help. Capt. Kurt LaFlamme said investigators were still gathering facts, but the early information pointed to drowning. Officials have not released a full timeline of how long the student was in distress or who first noticed the emergency.
High Meadow said the boy suffered a medical emergency in the pool and later died. The venue said it was deeply saddened and cooperating with the review. The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, which oversees licensed youth camps, is also looking at the incident. State officials said the drowning did not occur during High Meadow’s licensed summer camp dates, but the review was opened because of the site’s youth programming.
The tragedy also affected students from other schools that had groups at the property. Witnesses and parents described a crowded pool area during the outing. Officials have not said how many schools were present, how many students were swimming or how many lifeguards were assigned to the pool when Marshall-Woodard was pulled from the water.
By Sunday, the case remained under investigation. Police had not announced charges, and school officials had not released additional details about funeral plans or memorials. The next public update is expected to come from investigators or state reviewers once their findings are complete.
Author note: Last updated Sunday, June 14, 2026.