Georgia High School Student Dies Trapped In Wrestling Mats

They say curiosity killed the cat, and this time it just may be true.

A south Georgia high school student apparently climbed to the top of an upright roll of wrestling mats and fell into a center opening. He then became trapped inside and died.

Monday, 17-year-old Lowndes High School student Kendrick Johnson became stuck upside down inside the roll of mats. His body was found Friday in the old gym, Lowndes County sheriff’s officials said.

Johnson may have been trying to retrieve a shoe that fell into the mat, and there may have been no foul play at hand, says FOX News.

Johnson is believed to have passed out due to extensive blood flow to his head, which could ultimately lead to heart failure.

Although investigators do not believe foul play was involved due to no signs of a struggle, the sheriff said his investigators will continue interviewing students and friends who may have additional information.

Kenneth Johnson, the teen’s father, told WALB he believes his son was murdered:

“I want to express how did my son go missing during school hours in broad daylight? We know our son was murdered while he was at Lowndes High School. We do know that.”

Anastasia Roe, the teen’s aunt, said her nephew was a good student and a football player. She said he was the life of the party but tended to be introverted around new people. She considers the details of his death to be more than they appear:

“First we heard he was on the floor near the mat, then we hear he was wrapped in the mat. It’s suspicious.”

Johnson reported his son missing late Thursday night and his body was discovered Friday morning:

“How can you go on when you have a beloved child who wakes up everybody in the house and makes a laugh out of everything, how can you go on? It’s hard.”

The investigation has been ongoing since Johnson was found dead Friday morning, according to WRBL.

The school was placed on lockdown after the discovery