Monmouth County Mom Wants Answers For Son's Football Death

NEPTUNE, NJ — A year after her son died on his first day of college football practice, a Neptune mom is still struggling to get answers from her son's college as to what exactly happened.

After she said she was stonewalled by her son's college, that mom, Joanne Atkins-Ingrams, has even turned to her local congressman, Rep. Chris Smith, for help.

Patch wrote about the sudden death of Braeden Bradforth, 19, when it first happened last August: August 1, 2018 was Braeden's third day on campus at Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kansas. It was the very beginning of freshman year and Braeden was there for pre-season, having just won a scholarship a month earlier to play for the small school that was eager to develop its football program, according to Smith's office. That night, at about 9:45 p.m., Braeden suddenly collapsed in his dorm room after evening football practice and was found unresponsive. He died a few hours later at a local hospital.

Bradforth may have had a blood clot that likely traveled to his heart, causing a heart attack, the team's head coach, Jeff Sims, was quoted as saying in Sports Illustrated. Bradforth was 6 foot, 4 inches tall, and 305 pounds, and had been recruited as a lineman.

But Braeden's mother said the college never explicitly told her what happened that day.

“From day one, I’ve just been trying to find out what happened to my son, and I have not been able to get those answers,” Atkins-Ingrams said, according to Smith's office. “We need to prevent this from happening to anyone else, because the way my son died was totally preventable.”

The congressman and the mother held a press conference held this past Friday in Avon-By-the- Sea, at the offices of her lawyer, Jill Greene. Smith's office provided quotes from the press conference to Patch.

According to PIX 11, the mother said she traveled to the community college and learned from other football players that Braeden had been denied water during wind sprint drills. They also said he was exhausted and struggling, perhaps even delirious, on that first practice day, the news station reported.

Also, even though the coach told Sports Illustrated he died from a blood clot, Braeden's autopsy later revealed he died due to “exertional heat stroke."

The college reportedly conducted an internal review of Braeden’s death, but to this day, Braeden's family back in Neptune has never received the results of that review, according to Smith's office.

A young man trying to live out his dream

Bradforth, a 19 year-old who grew up in Neptune, received a scholarship last July to play football at Garden City Community College. One month later, he was headed towards college, trying to achieve his NFL dreams.

Since early childhood, it had always been his dream to try and make it to the NFL, his family said on a GoFundMe page set up to bring Braeden's body back to New Jersey so he could be buried. Getting a scholarship to play at the college level was a major step towards his lifelong goal.

"It was with great pride and enthusiasm that Braeden set forth on a journey he had planned for his entire life," according to his page. "He worked tirelessly to ensure that he would one day accomplish that goal (of playing in the NFL)."

His name stood out to those who follow youth football in Monmouth County: In 2013, Bradforth was part of the Jersey Shore American Youth Football Eighth-Grade Unlimited All-Star team that won the AYF National Championships in Kissimmee, Fla., according to The Asbury Park Press.

Bradforth had arrived at Garden City the Monday before he died, and Wednesday was the first day of practices.

"He had a great day and great attitude and was focused on things he needed to be successful in school and football," head coach Sims was quoted as saying in The Wichita Eagle.

Limited answers from Braeden's college

Desperate, Atkins turned to Rep. Smith, the Republican congressman who has represented this area for decades. Smith promised to do everything he could to help her find out more about her son’s death.

Smith wrote this letter to Garden City Community College President Ryan Ruda requesting an independent investigation into how Braeden died.

Smith's office said Ruda responded in a five-sentence email, saying, “Due to the KSA 12-105B Notice of Claim, the college is not at liberty to speak further on the matter. Recent correspondence has gone through the college attorney, Mr. Randy Grisell. At this time, Mr. Grisell is limited in the additional comments he can make, as the claim has been turned over to the college’s liability insurance carrier to handle.”

Smith described the response as stonewalling.

“That is such a legalistic and, I think, both rude and condescending response,” Smith said. “A mom wants to know what happened to her son. She asked and asked persistently right from the get-go, as she is entitled.”

Smith has now gotten the governor of Kansas, Gov. Laura Kelly, involved, as well as the two U.S. Senators from Kansas, Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran.

“I will do everything I can to help uncover the truth about Braeden Bradforth’s case, which may include withholding of hydration during football practice," said Smith. "I will also work to require that any future on-campus deaths be thoroughly and transparently investigated; and work to put an end to the preventable, tragic deaths of young athletes from heat stroke."

In addition to the Kansas governor and senators, Smith also wrote to 31 other elected and appointed leaders in Kansas, asking for support for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Braeden's death.

Consider another similar incident: In 2018, University of Maryland football player Jordan McNair died of heat stroke two weeks after he first fell ill after football practice. The university commissioned an independent investigation that reviewed the college’s protocols for maintaining student-athlete health and safety, and whether they were appropriately implemented. The independent report found that school health workers failed to take McNair's temperature when he first started showing signs of heat stroke during practice, and also failed to use cold-water immersion, according to The Baltimore Sun. Both of those could have saved his life.

Smith said he wants Garden City Community College to launch a similar, independent review.

Atkins said she also requested surveillance footage that day from her son's college dorms, but was told by the college it had been recorded over, according to PIX 11.

“There are all kinds of questions swirling around, and no answers. Instead, lawyering up and deferring questions to the attorney at the college—I think that’s, frankly, outrageous,” Smith said. "If mistakes were made, bear responsibility for that and ensure it never happens again.”

“Since August 1st, the day Braeden died, Ms. Atkins-Ingram has asked for answers. Like any mother, she wants to know what happened in the last moments of her child’s life" said Smith. "And unfortunately, she has been collaboratively stonewalled in her efforts to gain that information."