Alaina Dildine, 15, died from a possible drowning at the Whiteland Community High School pool Tuesday morning.
With permission from her family, the Johnson County Coroner’s Office released Dildine’s name Wednesday evening. A medical examination was completed, and a cause of death is still undetermined as the coroner awaits toxicology results, which could take up to three weeks.
Clark-Pleasant Superintendent Patrick Spray released a few more details about the incident at the high school during a press briefing Wednesday afternoon.
He said Dildine died of an apparent drowning at 11:45 a.m. during physical education class in the pool area. She was reportedly swimming laps with other students during class when she went under the water near the bulkhead that divides the pool from the diving end. There was a lifeguard and a teacher on the pool deck at the time of the incident, Spray said.
The incident is still under investigation by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, so Spray declined to answer further questions about what happened in the pool area Tuesday. He could not say how long she was under the water, nor what caused her to go under near the bulkhead.
Johnson County Sheriff Duane Burgess said his office took over the investigation with mutual agreement from school administrators and school police that this was the best path forward.
“Having an outside agency investigate a death of this nature will ensure complete transparency in the case and will allow the full resources of the Sheriff’s Office to be committed to the investigation,” Burgess said in a statement on the investigation Thursday. “We’ve started this process by assigning multiple detectives and meeting with school officials to begin the transfer of all information and evidence to our agency. Our investigators were present during the autopsy and are currently gathering additional information.”
The investigation is ongoing and all tips are being followed up on, Burgess said.
“We are aware of the rumors, theories, and false information being spread on social media,” he said. “We will thoroughly investigate every tip or piece of information we receive, but these things take time. We are asking the media and members of the public to respect the wishes and privacy of the family and allow us to conduct this investigation thoroughly and efficiently.”
Clark-Pleasant’s priority right now is to focus on the needs of Dildine’s family and the school staff and students, Spray said.
“We grieve with this family as they endure the unimaginable. Our entire school community, and especially our school staff and students are heartbroken,” Spray said. “This young lady was such a beautiful human who loved her family, friends, her community, art, animals and band.”
A close family friend set up a GoFundMe titled “Alaina’s Army.” Her family gave permission for the fundraiser page to be shared, Spray said. The page has raised over $20,000 so far, more than doubling the original goal of $10,000.
The description on the page shares details about the student, and how she loved her community, family, friends, band, and spreading awareness about epilepsy.
“She was a sweet girl with a heart of gold who would help anyone and now her family needs our help,” the GoFundMe page says.
Whit’s Inn in New Whiteland is also hosting a fundraiser for the family on Friday. From breakfast to late night, 20% of all food sales will go to the Dildine family, the owner, Mark Clark said on Facebook. Michael Clark, a partner in BAM Weather and WCHS graduate, will match the donations from Whit’s Inn.
A small memorial with flowers, photos, plushies and chalk art was set up outside the doors to the band room at the high school on Wednesday. Flowers were also placed outside the natatorium.
Classes at WCHS were canceled Wednesday and resumed Thursday. Counselors are available to help all students and staff who need help with crisis and grief management.
The pool will also remain closed for the rest of the school year.
This school year has been rough for Clark-Pleasant, Spray said at the end of the press briefing. Many traumatic incidents have affected students, including the shooting of a student at a school bus stop in August last year and the tornado in Whiteland at the end of March.
“It has been an exceptionally rough school year with regards to enormous trauma that we’ve encountered,” Spray said.
