High school baseball star on life support after playing 'Senior Assassin' game just weeks before graduation
The incident occurred just weeks away from 17-year-old Texas senior Isaac Leal's graduation.
The parents of a 17-year-old now left in critical condition after playing a popular game are speaking out in warning.
On April 20, Isaac Leal - a senior at South Grand Prairie High School just weeks away from graduating - was playing a game called 'Senior Assassin' with his classmates in the Texan neighborhood Arlington.
However, after climbing on the back of a parked Jeep during the game, it suddenly took off at 'high speed,' which is when the 17-year-old ran into trouble.
His mom, Raquel Vazquez, told NBCDFW Isaac was unable to jump off as a result of the vehicle reportedly going so fast, and when the driver allegedly hit a bump in the road, her son 'flew off' and 'hit his head'.
Advert
What happened during the 'Senior Assassin' game
The 'Senior Assassin' game is reported as having become an 'unofficial tradition' among teenagers across the country, seeing teens get water guns and race around the streets playing.
Footage has shown Isaac and his friends playing around, as well as the moment he hopped onto the back of the Jeep - which was stationary at the time.
The Jeep is then reported as having abruptly started up and whizzed off, carrying the teenager for five minutes before hitting the bump.
Doorbell camera footage later revealed the moment the teen ended up on the pavement, Isaac reportedly sustaining a severe head injury and being rushed to Medical City Arlington.
Isaac is reported as currently being on life support with doctors uncertain whether he will ever recover. However, his mom has far from given up hope.
Isaac's parents warn others to 'be aware of games like this'
Raquel said: "I believe God does full miracles, so I’m asking for full restoration, full restoration of every cell of his body, not the vegetable state that they say."
And Isaac's parents hope in speaking about his story, they can warn other parents and teenagers about the dangers of the game.
Jose Leal, Isaac's father, told CBS News: "Everybody that's playing has to download that app. [...] People need to be aware of games like this - as a teenager, you’re not aware if something bad is gonna happen."
Reflecting on how close graduation was, Raquel echoed: "Everything was planned out and plans change overnight. Nothing matters but saving your kid's life. [...] You never think it's going to hit close to home until it does."
A GoFundMe has since been launched to help support Isaac's parents with his medical bills.
South Grand Prairie High principal Larry Jones has banned the game from being played on or near campus.
School and police response to the incident
In a statement to CBS, he said: "Students who engage in this activity on or around school grounds may face disciplinary action, including the loss of senior privileges."
Isaac's family are hoping for a criminal investigation by police.
Arlington Police said, as quoted by NBC: "We have been in contact with Mr. Leal’s family and we are currently investigating this incident to determine whether a criminal offense occurred."
It added paramedics were sent to 'what was described as an unconscious person' but 'PD, however, was never dispatched and we were not notified that Mr Leal's injuries stemmed from a traffic incident until we spoke with his family this past weekend'.
It resolved: "Arlington Police Department said in a statement to CBS News that paramedics were sent to 'what was described as an unconscious person'.
It added: "PD, however, was never dispatched and we were not notified that Mr Leal's injuries stemmed from a traffic incident until we spoke with his family this past weekend."
UNILAD has contacted Arlington Police for comment.
Poppy Bilderbeck