STERLING, Illinois -- The Sterling High School student who passed away has been identified as a 16-year-old basketball player.
Dominic Franklin was running plays at basketball practice on Sunday, November 4 when he collapsed, according to the Whiteside County Sheriff, Joe McDonald. Franklin's coaches called 911 immediately and the student-athlete was taken to the hospital, just one block away.
Franklin was pronounced dead on arrival at the ER, said McDonald.
A preliminary autopsy showed that Franklin died of a heart ailment. McDonald said they would be conducting further studies to figure out what contributed to the teen's apparent heart condition.