St. Johns County girl who collapsed at school, died of congenital heart condition, according to deputies

Jacksonville, FL — A day after a St. Augustine middle school student passed away, the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office is releasing tragic, new details.

According to deputies, that student, Paris Byrd, 13, was trying out for the basketball team at Murray Middle School Tuesday afternoon, when she became ill.

She left the court to rest on the nearby bleachers, but her condition only worsened, prompting school officials to call 911. Byrd died at the hospital.

The sheriff's office says the District Medical Examiner's Office released the preliminary findings of their autopsy, which found that Byrd died of a congenital disease, with her cause of death being Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy, which is essentially an enlarged heart.

Murray Middle School Principal Tom Schwarm released the following statement about Paris:

“Paris represented what is amazing about our children at Murray. A student, who despite life’s difficult challenges and circumstances, demonstrated impeccable perseverance, hope, and strength to achieve greatness. She displayed a unique combination of thoughtfulness, positivity, and leadership that radiated from within and influenced all she encountered in her time with us. As a top student in our A.V.I.D., Cambridge Advanced Studies, and Center Arts programs, Paris not only excelled in her academic studies through hard work and dedication, but also inspired her classmates to achieve. In such a short life, she created a life-long positive impact on our Murray family that will endure always.”