By rssfeeds-admin 
During a Wednesday news conference, the DA’s office said they had deemed the incident that left 15-year-old August Borden with multiple skull fractures a “freak accident.”
Six weeks after the incident on the high school’s campus, Borden has little memory of what happened.
The Tuscumbia Police Department transferred the case to the Franklin County Juvenile Probation office and the Madison County DA’s office.
District Attorney Robert Broussard said that Attorney General Steve Marshall appointed the Madison County DA’s office to conduct the investigation.
Broussard said that the injuries were consistent with “typical high school banter,” calling it a “freak accident.”
“The case is closed as far as the criminal justice system goes,” Broussard said.
He said that they interviewed 17 different people, including eight eyewitnesses, and all the stories matched up. Broussard added that there was limited physical contact, and no malice or anger was involved among any of the students.
The DA’s office said they would not be mentioning any names of the people they spoke to, due to the fact that many of them, except the coaches, were under the age of 18.
They also said that they uncovered no evidence that “would support anything criminal happened.” Deputy Chief District Attorney Tim Gann said that Borden and the student of interest, also a football player, were friendly toward each other.
“They’ve never had any issues, one way or another. There was no beef. There was no animosity. And that comes from both students,” Gann said. “Both students confirmed there has never been any issue between them.”
Both Borden and the other student involved were football players. Gann said that on the afternoon of Aug. 19, the players had completed a workout and were walking to the field house to watch film.
Gann said the incident happened on a flight of stairs on campus, and across the road from the field house. According to him, a group of students, including Borden, and a coach were walking together. Gann said that the players had been “cutting up” all day, whenever this group was together.
He said that Borden and the student in question were “talking and laughing” while walking beside each other. Gann said that at some point, the student in question grabbed Borden from behind and “bear hugged” him.
Gann said the two players were walking like that, in step with each other, while talking and laughing. However, when Borden made an odd noise, the student told Gann he let go of him, saying, “something didn’t feel right.”
Borden then fainted, according to Gann, although the deputy chief DA said he was unsure how it happened. Witnesses told Gann that when Borden began to fall, he took a few steps before slipping on the landing and falling down the set of stairs.
“At this point, he is completely unconscious. He cannot protect himself. He is falling, full force, with no hands, or no anything, to protect himself.”
Gann said that witnesses told authorities when Borden’s knees hit the ground, it was “like a catapult.” He described Borden launching himself forward with great force, hitting the side and front of his head.
Those interviewed said that Borden had started to exhibit symptoms of a concussion, and the coach who was with them tried to stabilize him. Following these events, 911 was called, eyewitness were texting their parents and all statements matched up.
“Basically, after we looked at everything, and under the circumstances, that’s why we came to the conclusion that there is absolutely nothing in the criminal justice system that is appropriate… because there is absolutely zero ill-will, and zero reckless behavior going on when this happened,” Gann said.
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