Police said the death of 14-year-old Emari Marshall-Woodard appears to be a drowning.
GRANBY, Conn. — A 14-year-old Springfield student died Wednesday after being pulled from a pool during an eighth-grade field trip at High Meadow, a camp and event venue in Granby, police and school officials said.
Granby police identified the student as Emari Marshall-Woodard, an eighth grader in Springfield Public Schools. The death has shaken students in Massachusetts and Connecticut, where several school groups were visiting the site. Police said there was no sign of foul play, though the investigation remained active.
Emergency crews were called to High Meadow on North Granby Road at about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday for a report of a drowning. A Simsbury police officer working a private detail at the property responded to the pool area and began first aid before Granby Ambulance took Marshall-Woodard to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford. He was later pronounced dead. Granby police Capt. Kurt LaFlamme said investigators were still reviewing what happened. “We’ll see where it leads, but at this point it appears it’s a drowning,” LaFlamme said.
Springfield Superintendent Sonia Dinnall said the district was grieving the loss of one of its students. She said the district’s thoughts were with the student’s family, friends, classmates and school staff. Counselors and support staff were being made available to students and employees in the days and weeks after the trip. Officials did not immediately release which Springfield school Marshall-Woodard attended, though Kiley Middle School was among the Springfield schools visiting High Meadow that day.
High Meadow said the student suffered a medical emergency in the pool while on the field trip. The venue said staff later learned he had died after being taken to the hospital. The property, known for group outings and summer programs, said it was cooperating with authorities as they reviewed the incident. Police said several juveniles who witnessed the emergency were overcome with emotion, and ambulances from nearby towns were called to help at the scene.
The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood is also reviewing the matter because it oversees licensed youth camp operations in the state. Officials said the incident happened before High Meadow’s licensed summer camp season, but the review could affect preparations for the program. Police have not said how many students were in the pool area, how many lifeguards were working or what safety rules were in place at the time.
Parents and witnesses described a crowded scene at the pool as multiple school groups visited the property. Some students from other districts also saw the emergency unfold. School officials in affected communities said grief support was being arranged for children and staff who were present. LaFlamme said the emotional toll on students was clear as emergency workers responded.
As of Sunday, police had not announced charges or a final cause of death. The next step is the completion of police and state reviews into the pool emergency and the supervision in place during the field trip.
Author note: Last updated Sunday, June 14, 2026.