Family says Covid contributed to Jefferson County teen's death

FORT ATKINSON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A family says Covid contributed to the death of a teen in Jefferson County.

Thursday night, Sept. 16, board members in his school district of Fort Atkinson voted to require masks.

Parents on both sides of the debate weighted in ahead of the vote.

Thirteen-year-old Danny Rees was a 7th grader at Fort Atkinson Middle School.

He died Sept. 14.

Danny's mother says he had been congested for two days with what seemed like a cold. Then, Danny suddenly stopped breathing.

Parents attending Thursday night's school board meeting were divided over a mask mandate.

One mother spoke of her young son's own battle with the virus.

"My son tested positive a week into school. He did not wear a mask. He said he would wear a mask if everyone else was. I begged him to wear the mask, he pleaded, but he would not wear it. I read his texts last night. He texted family members saying he was afraid he was going to die."

The mask mandate passed in a 4-1 vote. You can watch the meeting in full, here.

A gofundme page is raising money to help Danny's family with hospital bills and ambulance fees.