Los Angeles family of high school football player files wrongful death lawsuit against LAUSD

The family of 16-year-old Christopher Garcia says they want justice after the teen died from a head injury while playing a 2024 high school football game in South Gate.

A wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family against the Los Angeles Unified School District states the district failed to provide safe facilities, proper equipment and adequate supervision.

Christopher's sister, Kimberly, spoke at a Monday news conference and said her family was at the South East High School home game, as they watched the last play the junior varsity player would ever make.

"My brother lay on the ground, unconscious, as we run across the field to try to figure out what was going on," Kimberly Garcia said.

"We want justice. It is completely unfair that my brother lost his life due to the negligence of the school, the school district."

Attorneys said there is video of the play Christopher was involved in, which caused the massive concussion and brain injury, and they said it was a textbook play.

While no single factor can be blamed for the death, attorney Ken Hendersson said it's a combination of issues that increased the risk beyond the normal risk factors of playing a contact sport. In legal terms, he called it multiple causation.

"This field, I think, we're going to find was not a field in compliance with what you needed to have. That was part of it. Another part is the concussion protocols. He had had some previous concussion, and the way they cleared him and the way they allowed him to continue to play, I think, was another factor. And you know the helmet may have played a factor as well, but all of those avenues are being explored," Henderson said. 

He said there's a type of field testing to ensure it's suitable for play. "It's a natural grass field. Were the conditions suitable? Natural grass can harden; it was in August," Henderson said, noting LAUSD still has possession of the helmet Garcia was wearing.

"We don't want this to ever happen again. And one of the things you have to look into is, you know, how are we doing as a society that sends our kids to school?" Henderson said. 

CBS LA reached out to LAUSD, and the district said they do not comment on pending litigation.