Adrian Thompson’s parents released surveillance footage months after her death as they continue seeking answers about the school’s emergency response.
LINDALE, Texas — The parents of an 8-year-old Texas girl who died after choking during lunch at her elementary school are pressing for answers after surveillance footage renewed scrutiny of how employees responded during the first minutes of the emergency.
Adrian Sue Thompson, a second grader at Velma Penny Elementary School in Lindale, began choking during lunch on April 15. School employees and emergency responders attempted lifesaving measures before she was taken to a hospital and later transferred to Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth. She died early April 16. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office later determined that choking caused her death and classified it as an accident.
The case received renewed attention in October after Adrian’s parents, Anna Thompson and Greg Sher, released surveillance footage showing their daughter seeking help during the emergency. The video has prompted fresh questions from the family about how quickly staff members recognized that Adrian was choking. The Texas Rangers investigated the death and concluded that no criminal offense occurred, but the family says that finding has not resolved its concerns about the response.
Reports describing the school footage show Adrian appearing distressed in the cafeteria before approaching an employee. The employee initially appeared to believe the child was sick rather than choking and directed her toward a trash can and then a restroom. Adrian returned shortly afterward and eventually headed toward the school nurse’s office. The footage does not show the treatment that occurred inside the nurse’s office.
Lindale Independent School District Superintendent Stan Surratt said after Adrian’s death that the school nurse performed the Heimlich maneuver, used a LifeVac airway-clearance device and administered CPR. Emergency medical personnel continued lifesaving efforts after arriving at the school and transported Adrian for further treatment. She was later transferred to Cook Children’s Medical Center, where she died.
Investigative records reported by news organizations showed that an adult-sized airway-clearance device was used during the emergency rather than a child-sized device. Adrian’s parents have cited that detail as one of several issues they believe deserve additional examination. The Texas Rangers nevertheless found no criminal offense related to the death, and authorities have not accused any school employee of intentionally harming Adrian.
The medical examiner’s finding established choking as Adrian’s cause of death and classified the death as accidental. That determination and the Rangers’ investigation addressed the medical cause and possible criminal conduct but did not settle the broader questions her parents have raised about school procedures, staff training and the sequence of events before emergency treatment began.
Thompson has also questioned the scope of the investigation. In an October interview, she said the family remained concerned about what she described as a lack of witness interviews during the inquiry. She has continued seeking a fuller account of what happened and has advocated for changes to state law that she believes would give families more options for pursuing accountability after serious incidents at public schools.
The district said in the weeks after Adrian’s death that it would seek an independent review of its emergency equipment, safety practices and response procedures. Surratt also said Lindale ISD planned to develop a strategy to strengthen and expand emergency-response training for employees. District officials urged the community to avoid speculation while the investigation was underway and said the review would be used to identify possible improvements.
The April death brought an outpouring of support in Lindale. Community members held a candlelight vigil for Adrian, and local residents and businesses rallied around her family. She was remembered as a child who enjoyed school, art, Minecraft, cooking and spending time with friends. Counseling was also made available to students and staff following her death.
The Texas Rangers’ criminal investigation has concluded without charges, and the medical examiner has ruled Adrian’s death accidental. Her family, however, continues seeking answers about the emergency response and pushing for changes they believe could improve safety for other students. The newly publicized surveillance footage has returned those questions to public attention more than six months after Adrian’s death.
Author note: Last updated October 31, 2026.