Tragedy boy ‘must have been terrified’

Jan 30 2008 by Dan Warburton, The Journal

A 12-YEAR-OLD boy has collapsed and died after being chased by two older boys.

Yesterday the mother of Jordan Maddison, who suffered from a pre- existing heart condition, choked back tears to pay a moving tribute to her son.

The youngster, who suffered from aortic stenosis, was out with a school friend at approximately 12.45pm on Monday when they were chased by two older youths on to Railway Terrace North, Houghton-le-Spring.

The year-seven pupil at Houghton Kepier Sports College, Houghton-le-Spring, who lived at nearby Fenton Terrace, made it to a nearby house before collapsing and later dying in hospital.

Last night, his mother Bev Chapplow, 27, blamed his death on those who had tormented her son.

Mrs Chapplow, a nurse at Sunderland Royal Hospital, said: “His heart problem meant that he was not allowed to be competitive and he knew he had his limits.

“It’s a narrowing of the valve around his heart, and it meant it had to work harder to pump blood around the body.

“But these boys chased him and he was not able to stop. He must have been terrified. He must have had to push himself past his limits.

“These were older boys and he must have been terrified.”

Jordan had been unable to go to school on Monday morning after he woke up with a migraine.

He collapsed moments after he entered the house on Railway Terrace North – 20 minutes before Mrs Chapplow arrived to find her son on the floor.

Despite being taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital, Jordan died shortly after.

Mrs Chapplow added: “Apparently they never got his heart to start beating again and we weren’t in the hospital long. This has been the worst few days of my life, it’s completely devastating. Seeing him like that was the worst thing I have ever had to see or do in my entire life. It feels like a dream. I keep expecting him to walk back in and shout or give me a high-five.”

Jordan has a four-year-old sister, Leah, who goes to nursery at Barnwell Primary School, Houghton-le-Spring.

Mrs Chapplow said: “He was a lovely lad. They used to call him Bob the Builder because he was only happy if he had a hammer and a screws in his hand.

“He liked doing jujitsu, riding motorbikes and his pedal bike. He always wanted to do something in building or anything to do with fixing things.

“I have had a lot of support and his friends have been round with flowers saying that he was a great kid and that they are sorry he has gone. He had a lot of friends at school and he was bubbly and daft as a brush.”

A 17-year-old youth and a 15-year-old boy were arrested and remained in custody last night as police continue to investigate Jordan’s death.

DCI Mark Anastasi, senior investigating officer, said: “We are trying to piece together the sequence of events that led to this youngster running off and collapsing on Monday afternoon.

“We want to hear from anyone who was in the area of Railway terrace North in Sunderland on Monday, 28 January, between noon and 2pm.

“We are treating this death as suspicious at this time while we make inquiries into the full circumstances of the matter.”

Anyone with information should call 0845 604-3043.

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Special Christmas gift is constant reminder of her lost son

SITTING in the corner of Bev Chapplow’s living room is a constant reminder of her son.

Blue, a whippet puppy bought for Jordan little more than a month ago as a Christmas gift, leaps around the room.

And now the dog will no longer get the chance to play with his owner. Mrs Chapplow said: "The dog was a Christmas present for Jordan. He loved being outside. But he never really got the chance. He did love playing out though.

"He used to come in for tea and used to eat it on the way back out again."

"He loved banging and clattering. He used to chop wood and bring it in. He was a real outdoors type." Jordan’s funeral is unlikely to take place for weeks as pathologists establish an exact cause of death.

A post-mortem examination has been carried out but the results are inconclusive and further tests are necessary.