The deputy governor of the city, Irina Potekhina, wrote on her page in a popular social network that is used for updates and conversations about public affairs. Reports indicate that the girl who died during a physical education class in St. Petersburg was found to have a genetic condition. This new information sheds light on the tragic incident, though it also raises questions about diagnosis, screening, and safety in schools.
Earlier, in the Vyborgsky district of St. Petersburg, a seventh-grade student collapsed and died while participating in a running exercise during physical education. He began to falter, stopped, and ultimately fell while attempting to complete a movement described locally as a “snake” drill. Emergency responders arrived promptly, and the child was confirmed deceased on the scene. In response, Alexander Bastrykin, who leads the Russian Investigative Committee, ordered a thorough report on the circumstances surrounding the girl’s death, emphasizing the need for clarity and accountability in the investigation.
According to Potekhina, the final results of the pathoanatomical examination are not yet available, as additional studies are required to reach a definitive conclusion. This highlights the careful approach being taken by medical and investigative authorities, who aim to determine the exact cause with medical precision before drawing broader conclusions about population health or school procedures.
She stated that the child’s death is being attributed primarily to a genetic disease for which there is currently no cure within the medical field. This framing points to a condition that might not have manifested obvious symptoms during routine school health checks, complicating early recognition and prevention in a school setting.
The deputy governor noted that teachers and school doctors only had information about the child’s health based on what the student’s parents had disclosed. This underscores the challenges schools face in monitoring student health, particularly when illnesses are rare, asymptomatic at times, or require specialized testing beyond standard classroom screenings. The situation emphasizes the need for clear communication channels among parents, healthcare professionals, and school staff to ensure timely awareness and safe school practices while respecting family privacy and medical confidentiality.