Memorial Grows After Danville Student Drowns At School

DANVILLE, CA — The Danville community is mourning the loss of a student who died Tuesday after he was found unconscious in the school pool. San Ramon Valley High School freshman Benjamin Curry, 15, was pulled from the water shortly before 2 p.m. and was rushed to Kaiser Walnut Creek where he was pronounced dead, according to the Contra Costa County Coroner's Office.

The call for a medical emergency was reported at 1:51 p.m., prompting a temporary lockdown on campus.

"When officers arrived, they learned that a staff member had found the student in the pool, retrieved him from the water, and applied lifesaving measures," police said in a news release Tuesday evening.

Wednesday morning, a memorial paying tribute to Curry continued to grow as the shocking news of the tragedy spread throughout the school. A candlelight vigil will be held tonight at SRV football field from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Julia Item, a friend of Curry’s, told KTVU that the teenager was “really sweet and really shy.”

“I know he was bullied a lot and thought he didn't have a lot of people he could rely on or a lot of close friends,” Item said in a KTVU report.

The Danville Police Department is investigating the death and the San Ramon Valley Unified School District is offering grief counseling to those who need it. Full story on KTVU.

Previous coverage:

• Student, 15, Drowns In San Ramon Valley High Pool: Police

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