MOTHER DEMANDS SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY AFTER 8-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER DIES IN CHOKING EMERGENCY — NEW VIDEO RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT RESPONSE

Six months after Adrian Sue Thompson died following a lunchtime choking emergency at her Texas elementary school, her parents have released surveillance footage showing her apparent attempts to seek help. Her mother, Anna Thompson, is now calling for changes to state law so families have greater options to hold public schools accountable.

The mother of an 8-year-old girl who died after choking during lunch at her Texas elementary school is speaking out again, saying the tragedy has left her with unanswered questions and lasting emotional trauma.

Adrian Sue Thompson, a second-grade student at Velma Penny Elementary School in Lindale, Texas, began choking while eating lunch on April 15, 2026. She was taken to hospital for emergency treatment but died in the early hours of April 16.

More than six months later, her parents, Anna Thompson and Greg Sher, have released school surveillance footage showing parts of the emergency. They say the video raises serious questions about how quickly their daughter’s distress was recognized and how the school responded.

“If help had come right away… I would still bear the heartbreak of losing my child, but I wouldn’t be living with this constant trauma,” Anna said.

The family says its decision to release the footage was driven by a desire to understand what happened and prevent similar tragedies involving other children.

SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWS ADRIAN APPEARING TO SEEK HELP

The footage, released by Adrian’s parents and described in reports by several news outlets, shows the young girl coughing during lunchtime and appearing to gesture toward her throat.

She then approaches a school employee. According to accounts of the footage and the police report, the employee initially appeared to believe Adrian was feeling sick and directed her toward a trash can before suggesting she go to the bathroom.

Adrian subsequently returned to the cafeteria before making her way through the school toward the nurse’s office.

At the nurse’s office, she reportedly pointed toward her mouth and tried to communicate that something was wrong. The footage from inside that room has not been made publicly available.

According to reports describing the investigation, the school nurse attempted the Heimlich maneuver, used a LifeVac airway-clearance device and performed CPR. Emergency responders later continued treatment before taking Adrian to hospital.

The principal called 911 approximately five minutes after Adrian first appeared to show signs of choking, according to reports based on the surveillance footage and investigative records.

Her parents believe the video shows that crucial time passed before their daughter received the help she needed. However, the footage does not independently establish whether a different response would have changed the outcome.

OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION FOUND NO CRIMINAL OFFENSE

The Texas Rangers investigated Adrian’s death and concluded that no criminal offense had occurred in connection with the incident.

Separately, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Adrian died as a result of choking and classified her death as accidental.

Those findings have not ended the family’s questions.

Anna has questioned the scope of the investigation, telling KETK that investigators did not interview witnesses, leaving the family without answers they believe are important.

“There was no interviews done during that investigation and so it left a lot of questions unanswered for us,” she said.

Reports based on investigative records also indicated that an adult-sized mask was used with the anti-choking suction device during the emergency, rather than a child-sized one. Adrian’s parents have described that detail as deeply concerning.

No criminal charges have been announced, and authorities have not accused an individual school employee of intentionally harming Adrian.

MOTHER CALLS FOR CHANGES TO TEXAS SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY LAW

Beyond seeking answers about the events at school, Anna is now advocating for changes to Texas law.

She wants lawmakers to reconsider the legal protections known as sovereign immunity, which can limit when public school districts and other government entities may be sued.

Her concern is that families whose children are seriously injured while in the care of a public school may face significant legal barriers when seeking accountability.

“I think that parents who send their children to public school throughout the state deserve to know that your child can be seriously injured or even die while in the care of the school and they are not responsible for that,” Anna told KETK.

Her campaign is focused on giving parents greater legal options and ensuring that school safety responsibilities are taken seriously.

“Parents deserve peace of mind knowing that schools will answer for any failure to keep our children safe,” she said.

Her push for reform does not change the official finding that no criminal offense occurred in Adrian’s case. Instead, it raises a broader question about how families can seek answers and accountability when a child suffers a medical emergency at school.

FAMILY KEEPS ADRIAN’S MEMORY ALIVE

While pursuing answers and legal changes, Adrian’s family is also trying to live with the loss of their daughter.

Anna told KETK that the family has kept Adrian’s bedroom exactly as she left it.

“This is Adrian’s room; we have left it just the way she left it because you walk in here and it’s just like the world of Adrian,” she said.

She remembered her daughter as a dedicated student who loved going to school, spending time with her teachers and friends, and looking forward to each new school year.

“She was a teacher’s pet and she loved going to school and she loved her teachers and loved her friends and looked forward to going to school every year,” Anna said.

In the aftermath of Adrian’s death, Lindale Independent School District said it would review its safety equipment and emergency-response procedures. Superintendent Stan Surratt also said the district planned to strengthen and expand emergency-response training for staff members.

For Anna and Greg, however, the changes they want go beyond updated procedures. They are asking for a system in which parents can have confidence that their children will be recognized, helped and protected when an emergency occurs.

Adrian was only eight years old. Her parents say they cannot change what happened that day, but they hope speaking out will help prevent another family from experiencing the same heartbreak.