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American Morning

Pennsylvania School District Stricken with Six Deaths

Aired May 20, 2002 - 07:17   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The school year, of course, is drawing to a close, but for students in one small Pennsylvania community, it's not a time of celebration but a time of healing. Since December, six students in the East Pennsboro School District in Enola have died, three of them in just the last three weeks. Their ages range from 5 to 16.

So far, no medical or environmental link has been found. Still, there are more questions than answers, and more pain than young people have a right to experience.

Jeanne Meserve joins us from Enola, Pennsylvania, a Harrisburg suburb, this morning. And, Jeanne, I know you have had a chance to talk with students and families. What are they telling you?

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Paula, it is a time of sorrow here, and for some it is a time of worry. As you mentioned, six students have died in this school district, three of them in the past month. Of those three, one died of a heart condition, one of a brain aneurysm and one of causes unknown.

At the high school, a memorial has been set up to all six. And last night, a local Baptist church held a meeting to help students and parents cope with some of the pain they are feeling.

We asked some of the students if they are nervous about going to school.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON TUCKER, STUDENT: No, because they are not related. The school tests have shown -- the coroners have told us everything else. Nothing points to it being related to one cause. So I'm not that nervous.

ERICA TUCKER, STUDENT: The day that the kids died, it felt like a library in here, like nobody was talking in the halls. But it's getting back to normal, but it's still on our minds, and it's still hard to cope.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: Now, that is not the universal opinion. I spoke to a father last night, whose high school aged daughter has been suffering from an array of symptoms, including chest pain, nausea and sharp headaches. He is keeping her out of school on doctor's orders.

Renovation at the high school did turn up problems with asbestos and lead. School officials say those problems have been cleaned up and recent testing has shown no signs of contamination. However, there are plans for more testing; also for a review of the medical records to determine conclusively whether there might be some common thread here or whether this is pure coincidence.

In the meantime, a sign has gone up in front of the high school here. It reads: "We will still be OK. God bless our kids," as people try to find some reassurance at this very bewildering time -- Paula.

ZAHN: All right. Thanks, Jeanne -- Jeanne Meserve joining us live.

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