HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Efforts failed to revive a 12-year-old California boy who was pinned to a weight bench by a 185-pound barbell that cut off his air supply.
Elijah Brown's grandfather and uncle found the 130-pound youth pinned under the barbell in Huntington Beach, Calif., Thursday, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday. They removed the weight and performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but the boy was pronounced dead at a hospital.
The youth's father said Elijah had been trying to bulk up for junior football, but usually used only dumbbells or a 45-pound barbell.
The weight bench had a safety latch, Thomas Brown added.
"He knew how to do it by himself," Brown said, adding he had stressed to his son how important it was to have a spotter. "It was a freak accident."
The straight-A, seventh-grader dreamed of playing pro football for the Broncos and wore jersey No. 33, the same as his hero, Denver running back Terrell Davis.
