Questions remain after boy, 11, dies outside junior hockey game

Caleb Kroffat, 11, died suddenly while attending the Cowichan Capitals junior hockey game with family. (CTV)

A Vancouver Island family is looking for answers after their 11-year-old son suddenly collapsed and died outside a junior hockey game.

Caleb Kroffat, 11, died suddenly while attending the Cowichan Capitals junior hockey game with family last Friday.

"It doesn’t make sense how this could happen to a wonderful kid,” said the boy’s mother, Renee Kroffat.

"You know, you take your son to a hockey game and you have all those amazing memories of playing as a kid and then this happens. I'm devastated," said the boy’s father Jason Kroffat.

Caleb was found unresponsive by the visiting team’s bus driver just outside the rink.

Training staff rushed to help with a defibrillator and delivered CPR, but the young boy was pronounced dead a short time later at hospital.

"The team doctor was involved, team trainer was involved, it was a quick reaction, they did all they could," said David Vandeventer of the Cowichan Capitals.

Uncertainty is adding to the family's pain. Caleb had no visible injuries when he was found and his family says he was in good health. Police and the coroner are investigating.

“We have a lot of unanswered questions,” said Duncan RCMP Cpl. Jon Stuart. The police don’t believe it’s a criminal investigation but the detachment is assisting the coroner.

An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday in Nanaimo.

Mother Renee hopes the results will bring some closure to their grieving family.

“It isn’t going to bring Caleb back and won't make anything better but at least it will give us some answers,” she said.

The Cowichan Capitals are planning to honour the 11-year-old by displaying his minor hockey jersey at their next home game.

With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Scott Hurst