“HER STORY MUST NOT BE FORGOTTEN”: PARENTS OF 8-YEAR-OLD ADRIAN THOMPSON RELEASE SCHOOL FOOTAGE AND FIGHT FOR ANSWERS AFTER DAUGHTER’S DEATH

Six months after Adrian died following a choking emergency at her Texas elementary school, her parents are sharing surveillance footage and calling for changes they hope will protect other children.

The parents of an 8-year-old girl who died after choking during lunchtime at her Texas elementary school are speaking out, hoping their daughter’s heartbreaking story will lead to answers and help prevent another family from experiencing the same loss.

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 rushed to hospital after the medical emergency 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 incident. They say the video raises troubling questions about how quickly their daughter’s distress was recognized and how the emergency was handled.

Their decision to share the footage has brought renewed attention to Adrian’s case and the family’s continuing efforts to seek answers.

THE FINAL MINUTES INSIDE THE SCHOOL

According to reports describing the surveillance footage and investigative records, Adrian began coughing at her lunch table before getting up and approaching a school employee for help.

The employee reportedly initially believed the child was feeling sick and directed her toward a trash can before asking whether she wanted to go to the restroom.

Adrian returned to the cafeteria moments later, still visibly distressed. She then left again and ran through the school corridors toward the nurse’s office.

According to the Texas Rangers’ investigative report, Adrian pointed toward her mouth and attempted to communicate with the nurse. She began turning blue.

The school nurse attempted the Heimlich maneuver. When Adrian collapsed, the nurse checked for a pulse and began CPR. A LifeVac airway-clearance device was also reportedly used during the response.

The footage released publicly does not show everything that happened inside the nurse’s office.

The school’s principal called 911 approximately five minutes after Adrian first showed signs of choking. Emergency responders arrived and transported her for treatment.

She was taken to Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, where doctors tried to save her. However, Adrian died the following morning.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that choking caused her death and classified it as accidental.

HER PARENTS SAY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS REMAIN

For Anna and Greg, the loss of their daughter has been devastating. But they say the questions surrounding the emergency have made the grieving process even harder.

Anna recalled receiving the call telling her to get to the hospital, saying she did not know what had happened to her child.

After reviewing the surveillance footage, the family felt that what they saw raised concerns about the response during the first moments of the emergency.

“The future looks like focusing on the truth,” Anna told CBS 19. “The truth matters, and we don’t want anything but the truth to be shared at this point in time.”

She also questioned the scope of the investigation, telling KETK that investigators had not interviewed witnesses, leaving the family with unanswered questions.

The family has also raised concerns about the emergency equipment used during the incident, including reports that an adult-sized airway-clearance device was used rather than a child-sized one.

These concerns have not resulted in criminal charges, and the available findings do not establish that a different response would have changed the outcome.

TEXAS RANGERS FIND NO CRIMINAL OFFENSE

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

No criminal charges were filed. The medical examiner also ruled her death accidental.

However, the findings have not ended the family’s efforts to understand exactly what happened.

Anna has also been advocating for changes to Texas law concerning the legal protections afforded to public school districts. She believes parents deserve meaningful options when a child is seriously injured or dies while under a school’s care.

Her campaign is about more than her own family’s experience. She hopes other parents will have greater transparency and accountability if a similar tragedy ever occurs.

A LITTLE GIRL WHO LOVED BEING A BIG SISTER

Beyond the investigation, Adrian’s family wants people to remember the little girl she was.

According to her obituary, Adrian was expressive, fun and always ready for an adventure. She loved playing Minecraft, making art, coloring, cooking and spending time with friends.

She also enjoyed jazz and ballet, piano lessons and swimming during the summer.

One of the most special parts of her life was being a big sister. Adrian loved helping care for her baby brother, Arnold, and took great joy in sharing time with him.

Her family described her as deeply empathetic, thoughtful and inquisitive — a child who loved asking questions and discovering the world around her.

Her parents have kept her bedroom just as she left it, preserving a space filled with memories of their daughter.

TURNING THEIR GRIEF INTO A CALL FOR CHANGE

Following Adrian’s death, Lindale Independent School District Superintendent Stan Surratt said the district would seek an independent review of its safety equipment, emergency response measures and procedures.

The district also announced plans to strengthen and expand emergency-response training for staff members.

In later reporting, the district said it had updated safety procedures and provided additional training.

The family’s release of the surveillance footage has renewed public discussion about how schools prepare employees to recognize choking emergencies and respond quickly when a child needs help.

For Anna and Greg, no investigation or policy change can bring their daughter back. But they continue to speak out because they hope Adrian’s story can help protect other children.

She was only eight years old. She loved her family, adored her baby brother and had so much of childhood still ahead of her.

Now, her parents are determined that her name will not be forgotten — and that the questions surrounding her final moments will continue to be heard.