The parents of an 8-year-old Lindale girl who died after choking at school have released surveillance video from that day. They say it raises serious questions about how staff responded, and they want a new, independent investigation.
Adrian Thompson started choking during lunch at Velma Penny Elementary School in Lindale on April 15, 2026. She was taken to Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, where she died the next day.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled her death an accident and listed choking as the cause, KLTV reported.
The Texas Rangers investigated and found that no crime had been committed. Adrian’s family says the investigation didn’t look closely enough at how the school handled the emergency, including the 911 call and the equipment staff used.
What the Video Shows
In the footage, Adrian leaves her lunch table at about 11:40 a.m. She is coughing into a napkin and bringing her hands up toward her throat.
The Rangers’ report says a school employee appeared to think Adrian was about to throw up. The employee pointed her toward a trash can and asked if she needed to go to the restroom.
Adrian went back into the cafeteria and approached the same employee again. Then she headed toward the nurse’s office. According to the Rangers’ report, she pointed at her mouth and tried to speak, and then her face started turning blue.
Signs of Choking Can Be Missed
Dr. Scott Hadland, chief of adolescent medicine at Mass General Brigham for Children, told CBS19 that raising the hands toward the throat can be a sign of choking.
He explained that when someone is only partly choking and can still make sounds, it can look like they’re about to vomit. He said that anyone who might be choking should never be left alone.
How the School Responded
The school principal called 911 at about 11:45 a.m., CBS19 reported.
The school nurse tried the Heimlich maneuver and used an anti-choking suction device. When Adrian collapsed and the nurse couldn’t find a pulse, she started CPR.
Reports say emergency responders arrived about 10 minutes after the 911 call. That time is counted from when the call was made, not from when Adrian first showed signs of trouble.
The Rangers’ report noted that the suction device had an adult-sized mask, not a child-sized one. Hadland said a mask that fits properly is important for suction to work well. He did not say the equipment or the timing caused or contributed to Adrian’s death.
Family Wants Outside Investigators
Adrian’s mother, Anna Thompson, told KETK that investigators never interviewed witnesses. That claim has not been independently confirmed.
The family is asking for a new investigation by Texas Rangers from outside Smith County.
What Lindale ISD Has Done Since
Lindale ISD says it has updated its safety procedures and given staff more training since Adrian’s death. Superintendent Stan Surratt also said the district will ask for an independent review of its safety equipment and emergency response procedures.
The Rangers found that no crime was committed, but that finding doesn’t answer whether the school’s procedures were good enough. The reporting so far also doesn’t show whether a different response would have changed what happened.
A Doctor’s Advice for Schools
Hadland recommends that teachers and anyone else who looks after children take basic life-support training every year.
He said staff should know the warning signs of choking, call 911 right away and stay with a child who is in distress.