Tragic 14-Year-Old’s Death Reveals Outdated First Aid Equipment on Houston ISD Campuses

Houston ISD 8th grader, Landon Payton, recently died after passing out during gym class, sparking investigation into first aid protocol and revealing a shocking discovery towards their defibrillator inspections.

The Tragic Death of Landon Payton

It was just another average school day for Payton, until gym class came around.

During routine drills and class exercises, Payton suddenly collapsed on the floor as a seizure took over his body. At only 14-years-old and no reported indications of feeling unwell or a previous medical history, the reason for the episode is still unknown.

The class was ordered to sit down as the teacher called for the school nurse before dialing 911. According to Payton's father, this nurse was ill-equipped to handle medical emergencies and had not received proper CPR training.

Payton's father arrived as fast as he could, but by the time he arrived, Landon was suffering another seizure which ultimately was the one that took his life.

Outdated Defibrillators at Houston ISD

In the wake of Payton's sudden death, it was revealed that, of the 1,078 defibrillators throughout the Houston ISD campuses, 170 do not work.

It was unclear how many did not work within Marshall Middle School where Payton was a student, but staff members confirmed that the one that should have been used during this emergency was among those that did not work.

Some claim the time lost locating a backup could have made a difference in the outcome of Payton's death.

Houston ISD has pledged that they will investigate this further to find out why so much equipment was outdated, and they will work towards getting everything back up to date and in working order.