Oct 16 - 12 Year Old, Playing Football, Dies after being electrocuted

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A 12-year-old boy died Monday after running into an electrified fence near Bernie Ward Community Center at Fleming Athletic Complex.

Melquan Kwame Robinson, of the 3400 block of Applejack Terrace, was playing football at a field at the complex in the 1900 block of Lumpkin Road when he went over a chain link fence, according to Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen.

A live wire was reportedly touching the fence and when Robinson grabbed the fence he was electrocuted, Bowen said.

Robinson was taken to the Children’s Hospital of Georgia where he was pronounced dead at 9:56 p.m. His body will be taken to the GBI lab for an autopsy Tuesday.

According to a statement from the city of Augusta, which owns and operates the community center and athletic complex, three other people were involved in the accident. No word has been given on their condition.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all involved in this accident,” Augusta Mayor Hardie Davis Jr. said in a statement. “We ask Augustans to stand together to extend our condolences and embrace the family of Melquan Kwame Robinson with love during this sudden and unexpected loss.”

Robinson was a member of the Trinity Elite Titans football team, which issued a statement on Facebook:

“Good morning everyone, this is a sad moment for our Trinity Elite Titans family......we are still in disbelief. We are sending our prayers and love out to the family of our football player, #MelquanKwameRobinson#, who has gone to rest with the Lord. One solider gone too soon.........you will be truly missed!!!!”

According to a Richmond County Sheriff’s Office incident report, a deputy who had responded to the scene was doing chest compression on Melquan about 9 p.m. Another deputy stated in the report that he was told that the child had been electrocuted by the outfield fence. After a few rounds of chest compressions, Melquan coughed and was turned to his left side. A deputy checked his pulse but none was found and chest compressions were continued, the report states.

A Gold Cross ambulance unit arrived about 9:16 and loaded Melquan onto a stretcher. Another ambulance arrived to transport a second victim, according to the incident report, which stated that the child was with Melquan at the time of the incident and was electrocuted when he tried to pull his friend down from the fence.

A third victim told deputies that Melquan and himself were throwing a football and it went over the fence. Melquan climbed the fence to get the ball and when he came back over, he was electrocuted, the incident report states. He tried to pull Melquan from the fence and he too was electrocuted, according to the incident report.

Melquan was a seventh-grader at Morgan Road Middle, according to Richmond County schools director of communications Kaden Jacobs.

“Our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time,” Jacobs said. “We have provided additional support to Morgan Road Middle School for students and staff.”

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