12-year-old Van Hoosen Student Dies After Collapsing on Park Field

A 12-year-old Oakland Township boy died Saturday after collapsing at an Orion Township park.

According to a report from the , the boy was running laps with teammates at , at Baldwin and Clarkston roads, when he collapsed around 11 a.m. Saturday. He was unconscious when sheriff's deputies arrived at the park; the boy's mom was with him on the scene, the report stated.

In an email sent to parents on Saturday, Principal Michael Behrmann identified the boy as Joseph "Cooper" Salsberry, a sixth-grader.

Deputies performed CPR on Cooper until an ambulance arrived; he was transported by ambulance to St. Joseph Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 12:04. The cause of death was not known; an autopsy will be performed, according to the sheriff's report.

The middle school will be open from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday; counselors and staff members will be available for students who want to write, draw or talk about their feelings, Behrmann stated in an email to parents. 

"While student response to tragic events varies, it is important to talk to your son or daughter and keep communication open," Behrmann advised.

On Twitter on Saturday night, there were more than 100 postings with the hashtag "#RIPCooper" from those expressing their condolences to the Salsberry family.

Funeral arrangements are pending through Modetz Funeral Home in Orion Township.