Murrieta Boy Dies 34 Days After Tragic School Drowning

Thirteen-year-old Alex Pierce, a well-loved member of the Murrieta community and local choir boy, died Thursday-- more than a month after a tragic accident at an end-of-the-year swimming party, loved ones report.

According to a GoFundMe page that was set up to help with medical costs for the Pierce family, the teen died Thursday morning:

It is with a broken heart that I write that Alex has passed away this morning.

All continued donations will go towards the costs associated with planning his funeral. We appreciate all the love and prayers that have been said in Alex's name over this past month.

I ask that you please continue to pray for the Pierce family while they attempt to cope with this unimaginable tragedy.

His mother, Sabrina Pierce, confirmed the sad news to the Press Enterprise, adding that a funeral will be held at The Rock Church on Sky Canyon Road in Murrieta. The date and time of that service are not yet known. Patch will provide those details as they are made public.

Alex had been at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, where recent tests had shown no brain activity, according to the GoFundMe page.

His hospitalization first began on June 3, after he was pulled from the bottom of the swimming pool at Vista Murrieta High School, where he and approximately 100 other band and choir students were attending an "end of the year" party, according to Murrieta Police.

He was under water for approximately 95 seconds before he was rescued, police reported.

"There was no evidence of horseplay going on and nothing inappropriate was observed," Murrieta Police Capt. Dennis Vrooman said following the incident. "According to the surveillance footage, it appears the student may have unintentionally floated to a deeper end of the pool where he could no longer stand up."

Donations to help with any final medical and funeral expenses can be made via the GoFundMe page here.